Fuel Types Explained

When purchasing a new or used vehicle, it's important to understand the various fuel and engine types available as each has it's own unique set of benefits. This short reference guide will help you make the right decision when buying your next vehicle.

Petrol (Unleaded / PULP)

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.

Diesel and Bio Diesel

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 vehicles are also traditionally more expensive to purchase.

LPG (Liquefied Pertolium Gas)

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 periodic state and federal government incentives which make switching to LPG very affordable.

Against: LPG fuel is far less efficient than both petrol and diesel in vehicle engines. A 2011 LPG Ford Falcon uses 15.0L/100km, compared to 9.9L/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.

Hybrid

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. There is also debate as to whether the benefits of reduced carbon output during operation offset the increase in carbon emission required to produce, deliver and dispose of these vehicles.

Electric (Dedicated Electric)

For: In dedicated electric vehicles, the traditional petrol or diesel engines that you are likely to find under the bonnet have been replaced entirely with an eclectic motor, battery and controllers. This is in contrast to a hybrid vehicle which makes use of both fuel and eclectic motors. Dedicated electric motors produce no harmful emissions during operation and can even be recharged from an average family home (in some cases a special adapter is required).

Against: Although dedicated electric vehicles produce none of their own harmful emissions during operation, the electricity which was produced to power these vehicles, at least at this point in time, was produced by burning fossil fuels. Dedicated electric vehicles can also only cover a fraction of the distance that a traditional vehicle can cover between recharges (normally between 60-100kms). Because of the limited range of these vehicles, the cost per km travelled can actually work out more expensive than small capacity diesel and petrol engines. Finally, as the technology is still relatively new, small dedicated electric vehicles can also be significantly more expensive than their more traditionally powered counterparts.