Chevrolet Cruze LPG Confirmed for Europe

As a part of a broader campaign to cope with the economic turmoil and concentrate on less-polluting models, Chevrolet today announced that it will launch several LPG models in Europe. More specifically, Chevrolet will roll out LPG versions of its gasoline models in Switzerland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain, with Chevy Cruze the first model to arrive in LPG flavor. According to the automaker, the LPG Cruze is expected to arrive soon after the official introduction of the base Cruze in May 2009.

"What are the advantages of LPG?" you may ask. In short terms, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as Autogas in certain countries, produces much less emissions than both gasoline and diesel. "For instance, the LPG-powered Chevrolet Matiz S 0.8, which is available in several European countries, has a CO2 output of only 119 g/km and is among the most environmentally compatible cars on the market," Chevrolet explained.

In addition, LPG is cheaper than regular gasoline, with costs for an LPG model or for installing an LPG system, to be recovered within a few years. Chevrolet claims its models are capable of developing exactly the same power when running on LPG compared to those on fuel, so engine performances are basically the same.

The only thing that may be indeed disturbing is the LPG tank which reduce a bit the overall trunk volume. However, Chevrolet says LPG tanks are 100 percent safe, as they "undergo numerous safety and crash tests and withstand even the strongest mechanical and technical strain." In addition, an LPG tank "can withstand 2.5 times the regular gas pressure, has an pressure relief valve and overfill prevention at 80%."

There's still no information on the price difference between the LPG and gasoline/diesel versions, but keep in mind that several countries are already offering incentives and tax reductions for multiple types of less-polluting models.