ALTERNATIVE FUEL FOR GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Article Written By:
Frank DeAngelo
President of Exotic Coach Limosuites

As an entrepreneur, there isn’t a minute that goes by where an owner isn’t thinking about ways to better his or hers business. It was back in 2003 and I was proudly driving my brand new 2003 H2 Hummer Limousine. At that time, Hummer limos were new to the ground transportation market and just about everyone fell in love with them. Well…almost everyone.

Chicago Hummer Limo

It’s funny how the strangest things in life can leave a lasting impression. I was conveniently parked in downtown Chicago just minding my own business. It was a clear night and the city was packed with on-lookers. Of course, I had the Hummer limo on display, and in most cases the attention was always positive and the remarks were flattering. Needless to say I was dumbfounded when a little old man yelled at me from his bicycle as he drove by my limo. He unkindly yelled, “Turn that pig off a-hole, you are killing me and my grand children”. It happened so fast that I didn’t have time to return a gesture. For the rest of that night, grandpa had me pondering the future of my company. What does the future hold? Are people going to shy away from gas guzzlers? Will gas prices kill me? What about my children? Can I truly operate a ground transportation company and be responsible to the environment? The very next day I hit the internet looking for options.

Propane Tanks

After months of research and several phone calls later, I felt I had finally found a viable option. PROPANE! Yes, the stuff you barbecue with. While doing my research, I recalled one of my visits to a California coach builder I was working with at that time. I witnessed the installation of a rear propane tank for a limo being built for their client in the U.K. I didn’t think much of it at that time nor did I ask many questions. As I dug deeper, I found loads of information regarding propane and conversion kits from overseas suppliers. I was astounded at the fact that gas prices in some areas of Europe, Turkey and Italy reach over $11 U.S. dollars per gallon. It’s no wonder why they’ve turned to propane to power their ground transportation vehicles.

NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE

There were many misconceptions I ran into while considering propane to power my limos. Many had told me that propane was dangerous and could blow my engine. Others had said it was too dangerous to carry a propane tank on board and that there would be a significant power loss while using the propane fuel. I continued my research and found that all of these notions were false and pertained to propane conversion systems of the past. The technology developed overseas addressed these issues and I was convinced it was something worth trying.

PROPANE POWER!

WE’RE READY

Now that I was committed into to moving forward, I was able to find a local Illinois company that specialized in propane conversion kits. “FIRE EM UP” located out of Gurnee, IL was more than excited about our vision to convert our exotic limo fleet to propane. Not only were they accommodating, but they thoroughly trained our maintenance crew on installation, repair and preventative care. We quickly realized that the overseas technology was unbelievably advanced but reliable as well. “Fire Em Up” had already successfully converted hundreds of vehicles to propane which included police vehicles, fleet trucking companies, municipalities and much more. We were definitely in the right hands. The kits they utilized allowed a vehicle to run on gas or propane at the push of a button. The main controls piggy backed off the current electronic and fuel injection systems of each vehicle. A separate propane tank was properly fitted and off we went. We converted a double axle H2 Hummer, tripe axle H2 Hummer, Lincoln stretch Navigator, Lincoln stretch Town Car and a Land Yacht limo bus.

THE RESULTS

After a full year of trial we noticed the no significant power loss, no engine problems, a major reduction in our fuel bills and a much better conscious.

The Plus Side

- Clean Fuel = Cleaner Engine
- Environmentally Friendly, certified by the EPA
- Propane consumption almost equals gas consumption. In the Chicago area, propane fuel is approximately 35% to 50% cheaper than gas.
- State and Federal tax credits and refunds available for EPA certified fuel and kit installations
- Potential for government ground transportation contracts- Great for PR and marketing perks

The Negative Side

- The initial kit installation can range from $2,400 to $3,500 with propane tank
- The location of propane tank can pose some challenges depending on the vehicle
- Accessibility of propane fuel can be a problem in some locations. Although I found a location that provided delivery service, that is not always possible in certain towns.
- In extremely cold weather, I encountered occasional gelling of the propane. It cased not damage, just minor inconvenience.

The end result is that I highly recommend the use of propane fuel for any gas or diesel powered engine.

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