What is LPG (autogas) and where to find it

LPG (also called autogas) is one of the most widely used alternative road fuels in the world, yet plenty of drivers have never seriously considered it. It runs an adapted petrol car for noticeably less per kilometre, but it comes with trade-offs and a network that varies from country to country. Here is a plain-language look at what it is, how a converted car works, what it costs, and how to find a station that sells it.

By the Refuelia Editorial Team · Reviewed 10 July 2026

What LPG actually is

LPG stands for liquefied petroleum gas: a mix of propane and butane, both byproducts of natural gas processing and crude oil refining. At normal temperatures it is a gas, but under modest pressure it becomes a liquid, which is what makes it practical to store a useful amount in a car-sized tank.

Used as a road fuel it is usually called autogas. It powers an ordinary spark-ignition petrol engine, and it is a completely different thing from CNG (compressed natural gas), which is mostly methane stored at far higher pressure.

How an LPG conversion works

Very few cars leave the factory running on autogas. Instead, a normal petrol car is fitted with an aftermarket LPG system by a specialist. The car keeps its petrol tank and injectors, and a second, separate system is added alongside them: an LPG tank (often a doughnut-shaped one that sits in the spare-wheel well), a vaporiser that turns the liquid back into gas, a set of gas injectors, and a small controller with a switch on the dashboard.

In practice the car almost always starts on petrol and switches to LPG automatically once the engine warms up. You can flick back to petrol at any time: if there is no autogas station nearby, you simply keep driving on petrol. A good conversion is barely noticeable from the driver's seat.

Why drivers choose it

• Lower fuel cost. Autogas is usually priced well below petrol and diesel per litre, which is the single biggest reason people convert. For a high-mileage driver the pump savings add up quickly.
• Dual-fuel range and flexibility. With two tanks you get a long combined range and a fallback fuel that is available on almost every corner.
• Cleaner combustion of some pollutants. Autogas tends to produce lower emissions of certain local pollutants than petrol, and it burns cleanly enough that engine oil often stays in good condition.
• Mature, well-understood technology. Conversions have been done for decades, so parts and trained installers are easy to find in autogas-heavy regions.

The trade-offs

Autogas is not free money. There are real downsides to weigh before converting:

• Lower energy per litre. LPG holds less energy per litre than petrol, so you will burn somewhat more of it to cover the same distance. The saving comes from the lower price, not from using less fuel.
• Upfront conversion cost. A quality installation is a meaningful investment, so it only pays back over enough kilometres. Low-mileage drivers may never recover the outlay.
• Space and weight. The gas tank takes room, often the spare-wheel space, and adds a little weight.
• Maintenance and checks. The system needs periodic servicing, and in many places the tank has a certificated lifespan and must be inspected or replaced after a set number of years.

Running costs and payback

The economics come down to a simple race: the per-litre pump saving versus the fixed cost of the conversion. Because autogas is cheaper but slightly less efficient, the real-world saving per kilometre is smaller than the headline price gap suggests, but it is still usually positive in countries with a healthy autogas market.

Consider a general example. A driver who covers a lot of ground each year (a commuter, a rep, or a taxi) spends heavily on fuel, so even a modest saving per kilometre stacks up and pays back the conversion within a reasonable time, after which the savings are pure benefit. Someone who drives only occasionally may take many years to break even, if ever. Before converting, estimate your annual distance and your local autogas-versus-petrol price gap rather than relying on a rule of thumb.

Refuelling and connector types by region

Filling with autogas is a little different from splashing petrol. The pump dispenses pressurised liquid, so instead of a loose nozzle you lock a coupling onto the car's filler point and hold a dead-man button while fuel flows. It is quick to learn, but the first time is best done with someone showing you.

The catch for travellers is that there is no single global filler standard. Stations across regions use different couplings, so drivers crossing borders often carry a small set of screw-on adapters. The common types you will meet include:

• ACME: widespread in parts of Europe and North America.
• Dish (Italian): common in Italy and some neighbouring countries.
• Bayonet: used in the UK, the Netherlands and a few others.
• Euronozzle: a push-on European connector found in several countries.

Check which fitting your car has and which the countries on your route use, then pack the right adapter before you leave. In many places you will also be asked to complete a short safety briefing or hold a simple licence card the first time you fill up.

Is autogas safe?

Modern LPG systems are engineered with safety in mind. The tanks are far stronger than a petrol tank, they carry pressure-relief and shut-off valves, and they are typically filled only to around four-fifths of capacity to leave room for the liquid to expand. The sensible rules apply: use properly installed, certificated equipment, keep up with inspections, and never tamper with the system yourself.

Finding LPG on the map

On the Refuelia live map, use the LPG filter to hide everything except stations that sell autogas. On a longer trip through an area with thin coverage, plan your refuels around the stations you can actually see, and never let the gas tank run near empty when the next station is far away. Remember you can always switch to petrol to reach it. Community updates on the map help confirm whether a listed pump is still operating before you rely on it.