Without doubt the biggest concern for motorists is the charging and the amount of miles they can travel on a single charge (not a problem for the over seventies who will be restricted to driving to the local doctors and back).
I assume that would convert the engine and carburettor, etc., but what about the storage tank? I assume that would have to be quite different to store gas under pressure.
A methane-powered vehicle can utilize methane which is stored as the fuel in a pressurizable tank containing a solid filling which enables a packing density of methane in adsorbed or otherwise trapped form to exceed 10 times the density of the methane at room temperature and a pressure of about 10 bar. The filling can be readily charged with the methane or can release the methane for powering the vehicle.
That’s true but maybe we need to change the way we think too?
Charging has to be sorted, there’s no getting around that.
But which has to come first (charger or car) - and who’s going to pay for the charge points?
It’s an ongoing debate that hasn’t been adequately answered as of yet.
Do we really need high-capacity batteries for cars to travel hundreds of miles when the average journey is just 8.4 miles?
Too many of us use cars far bigger than we really need and it looks like we’re going to maintain that wasteful tradition as we transfer power sources for these from ICE to electric.
Technology is advancing rapidly and so I don’t think it’ll be too long before a 400-mile journey in a personal electric car is possible without paying a huge premium for the car or having anxiety regarding charging.
But we aren’t there yet.
Personally we could certainly manage one car being an EV for the normal everyday use that our cars see but not both because that would make seeing family (and going on holiday) very difficult.
Price is what puts me personally off an EV for our second car.
I adore the Honda e (as a second car remember), but the price for what it is seems frankly ridiculous when compared to what I could buy for a similar sum.
When prices are nearer parity I will probably buy electric but for now, no.
Thanks Besoeker, you only have to think ‘Butane Blowtorch’ where the gas goes in the can in liquid form. In fact, they use butane as an accelerant for all types of pressurised containers, hairspray springs to mind, we used to set fire to the hairspray as it leaves the can…:shock: A bit dangerous, but we were all daft in those days…
LPG or dual fuel cars were very popular here a few decades ago but now it is really only taxis and some buses that use LPG. LPG pumps at service stations are becoming a rare sight.
There was a spate of petrol thefts around here a few years ago (Yobbos nicking petrol from cars to fuel their own), so I stuck a ‘Warning LPG’ sticker on my petrol cap cover. It seemed to work. :-p
Good idea!
On an earlier car, the flap could only be opened from inside the car, but the new ones can be opened by anyone.
I suppose that if they are locked, they’d only prise them open anyway and cause a lot of damage.
Wouldn’t work here details like that (LPG,EV etc) have to be on the numberplate to inform emergency services in the case of an accident/incident.
Cars are fitted with anti syphoning devices and they’re a bloody nuisance.
It’s a long while since cars didn’t fuel covers.
An update on BritishVolt and their plans:
[B]
"Firm building UK’s first gigafactory gears up to go public
Britishvolt considering options including floating in New York by merging with a special purpose acquisition company"[/B]
"The Government has committed £1bn to help build factories that can mass produce batteries and Britishvolt has applied for some of that pot.
“We have had very fruitful conversations,” Mr Nadjari said. “Definitely government funding is critical for large industrial investment such as Britishvolt.”
Work will start in the autumn 2021 and finish by the end of 2023. Constructing the factory will provide 3,000 jobs with
another 5,000 in the supply chain. By 2027, the facility will produce enough cells for 300,000 EV battery packs a year."
Yes the Telegraph is subscription-only but it does have a free trial for those interested, otherwise the above gives the general idea.
That’s the “all-in” cost, JBR. The storage tank goes into the spare tyre well in the boot. God knows where you put your spare if you have one though. 
Even our new Qashqai, that doesn’t come with a spare tyre, does still have a spare wheel well in the boot.
Very nice vehicle the Qashqai Percy, I bought mine new in 2000 and it still goes like a rocket…2 litre diesel N-Tec with a glass roof. The best car I’ve ever owned. Mind you, apart from my Citroen Berlingo Van, it’s the only brand new car I’ve ever had…
I’m glad you mentioned the spare wheel, because just as soon as I get my garage back I shall buy my last vehicle…Another Qashqai and I’ll keep the spare from my old vehicle…
Electric Vehicles…Phwoar!..
Why not just put the new tank where the old petrol tank was?
When you have LPG you retain the petrol capability so it is a dual fuel vehicle. Also for strength reasons LPG tanks are cylindrical very few petrol tanks are.
We had a duel fuel petrol/LPG car for several years. Unless the engine was already hot, it wouldn’t start on LPG so had to be started on petrol, and then would auto switch over to gas once the engine had reached a certain temperature.
Since it was a retro-mod, the gas tank was put in the spare wheel well and the previous owner had replaced the full sized spare with a space saver wheel. I hate the things.
A purpose built dual fuel car would have two tanks from new, but may or may not have space for a spare wheel.
Gas was less than half the price of petrol so was well worth having it, but finding somewhere to top up with gas was not always easy.
As for bio-gas, there is a small power station not too far from here that runs on methane generated from cow manure. It’s called Mooclear Power. 
The range of pure electric vehicles is one of the biggest problems at the moment and needs addressing, as does the time it takes to charge a vehicle. Some have a rapid charge mode, but this can only be used perhaps once or twice in a twenty four hour period.
Aha! You may scoff Mr Fruity but, there is a power station near here that runs on chicken shit, I kid you not…
What Bruce said, JBR.