When purchasing a new or used vehicle it is important to understnd the various fuel and engine types available. This quick guide will give you a better understanding of the most commonly available fuel types in Australia as well as the positives and negatives of each.
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| For: Petrol's availability makes it an attractive option for most motorists. This means you're never going to be stuck looking for a bowser. Some of the latest technology petrol engines are also extremely fuel efficient. This increased technology makes some larger petrol engines more fuel efficient than those found in small cars. |
Against: Petrol engines emit more greenhouse gas per litre than their LPG equivalents. They emit fewer greenhouse gasses per litre than diesel engines, but they traditionally use more fuel (less efficient) to travel the same distance.
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| For: Diesel engines are approximately 30% more fuel efficient than petrol engines of the same size, which means you will refuel less often. Per litre diesel creates more greenhouse gas emissions than petrol, but because you're using less diesel than you would petrol it contributes less to global warming. Thanks to recent technological advancements diesel is also much cleaner than it was a number of years ago. |
Against: Diesel engines are a major source of particle matter emissions, which have been linked to cancer and other respiratory diseases. Diesel fuel is often more expensive per litre than petrol, and diesel vehicle are also more expensive to purchase. |
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| For: LPG vehicles emit between 10 and 15% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than petrol engines and create only 20% of petrol's airborne toxins. LPG is also a cleaner fuel than diesel, emitting far fewer particulates. LPG is also considerable cheaper per litre than both diesel and petrol. There are also current incentives to switch your existing vehicle to LPG, or purchase a new LPG vehicle. |
Against: LPG fuel is far less efficient than both petrol and diesel in vehicle engines. An LPG falcon uses 15.1L/100km, compared to 10.6L/100km for the petrol equivalent. Factory LPG large/family cars can also cost $5,000 more than the petrol version. LPG engines are also not as responsive as petrol engines and the tank can take up valuable boot space. |
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| For: Hybrid petrol-electric engines are cleaner and more efficient than diesel and petrol vehicles. Hybrid vehicles switch between power sources depending on the driving situation to maximise safety, enconomy and performance. The three modes of a hybrid-petrol are: petrol enginel only, electric motor only, and both the petrol engine and electric motor combined. The battery is charged during decelleration in normal everyday driving. |
Against: Hybrid vehicles are much more expensive than petrol vehicles. It can take a considerable amount of time to recuperate the cost achieved from the reduced fuel consumption. Batteries in hybrid vehicles are also expensive to replace if required. |
