What Are My Refueling Options For Propane Autogas?
When you use propane autogas, you can choose between five types of refueling options. Here’s a closer look.
On-site refueling
Nothing beats the convenience of having your own centralized refueling location. With this option, the fuel is delivered straight to you by your local propane supplier. Working with a fuel supplier will allow you to negotiate a contract to buy fuel in bulk to save more.
On-site refueling includes large capacity fuel storage tanks equipped with a pump, meter, and one or more dispensers. This is a great option for growing fleets, since the same fuel pump and motor can be used to refuel vehicles with no electrical or site upgrades as the fleet expands.
The exact configuration of on-site refueling equipment depends on the size of your fleet. If you have a large fleet of 50 vehicles or more, your propane supplier may recommend an advanced private station. It includes a high-capacity tank, canopy, and multiple fuel dispensers.
Either you or your supplier will own the infrastructure. If you own it, you pay for the canopy, propane tank, pump, motor, and dispensers with card lock and vehicle tracking capabilities. If your supplier owns the infrastructure, you’re only responsible for the cost of site preparation, like crash protection bollards and electrical work.
If you have a fleet with fewer than 50 vehicles, your supplier will likely recommend a standard private station. It includes a 1,000- to 3,000-gallon tank, plus a single propane autogas fuel dispenser. Like an advanced private station, you or your propane supplier own the infrastructure. If you own it, you purchase the propane tank, pump, motor, and dispenser. If your supplier owns the infrastructure, you are only responsible for the site preparation.
Temporary refueling
You can take advantage of a temporary refueling solution when your fleet is in the process of building permanent refueling infrastructure. The setup includes a dispenser, pump, and fuel storage tank mounted on a trailer. Your propane supplier owns all of the equipment, and your fleet refuels using the tank and dispenser as long as necessary.
Mobile refueling
Mobile refueling is a good option for fleets that don’t have infrastructure investment plans yet, but want to get started with propane autogas. At a scheduled time, your propane supplier will come to your location and refuel your vehicles on-site with a propane delivery truck. Cost and situations vary; talk to your supplier for more details.
Public and private refueling networks
Propane autogas is an option even if you don’t have enough space for on-site refueling infrastructure. Public and private refueling networks are accessible 24/7 through a card lock system — and best of all, they require no infrastructure investment on your part.
Go here to search for propane autogas stations in your area, along with open hours — when a key card isn’t needed — and payment options. If there isn’t a network available in your area, a propane supplier may create one for your fleet, if it’s large enough. Multiple fleets may also team up to provide an adequate load for requesting a refueling network.
Read about the benefits of propane for New York fleets You can also reach out to an autogas conversion installer to find out more about adding propane autogas vehicles to your fleet.
Source: Propane Education Research Council