More motorists, mainly taxi drivers, are opting to convert their vehicles from petrol to LPG, as companies selling Autogas have reported a rise in sales of this fuel. This decision comes in response to the recent fuel price hike in Kenya, where the VAT was raised from 8 to 16% due to the enactment of the Finance Bill. Consequently, fuel prices have risen by approximately KES 19 (USD 0,13) per litre this month.

This rise has forced many Kenyans to find creative ways of surviving the rising cost of living, and some are choosing to convert their vehicles to LPG. Many taxi drivers already run on Autogas in the country.

In the past three months, approximately 2,000 vehicles in the Nairobi region have been converted to LPG, according to a service station operator. The fuel costs KES 99 (USD 0,70) per litre, compared to petrol which is currently KES 198 (USD 1,40) per litre.

“For the last two months, our conversion department has been busy. People are shifting from petrol to Autogas. LPG cannot be used without converting the car engines to make it compatible,” said the station operator. “The sales (of LPG) have increased by up to 95%.”

Taxi drivers who already run on Autogas were also satisfied with this fuel. They said that it makes more business sense when compared to petrol. A LPG tank can hold 20 to 25 litres of fuel, while one litre covers 12 kilometres.

“I use approximately ten litres of LPG and two litres of petrol. That is about KES 1,200 per day (USD 8,47). The profit is double the one I earn when I use petrol only for the same task,” commented taxi driver Willies Odhiambo.

Source: Citizen Digital

19 July 2023