MARINETTE, WI - The City of Marinette Police Department recently converted a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor to run on propane autogas. With estimated savings of more than $25 each time the vehicle refills, the City will potentially save $5,000 in fuel costs annually with just one propane vehicle on the road, according to a release from Charter Fuels.

Charter Fuels, a Wisconsin-based partner in the national Alliance AutoGas network, coordinated the vehicle conversion and will provide autogas fuel as part of the Alliance AutoGas complete program for fleets. Charter also held a training session to show Marinette police how to safely and effectively operate and fuel the vehicle.

The Marinette PD has a fleet of 12 vehicles, six of which are marked patrol cars. The Crown Vic was nine months old and had roughly 30,000 miles on it when converted. The City paid for the vehicle conversion, which cost $5,800. It will be fueled at a Charter fuel station in the City.

"We were able to lock in the price of propane autogas for an entire year, and not having to worry about the fluctuating price of gasoline and what it has done to our budget in the recent past was a big plus," said Lt. Bryan Knapp. "Autogas is also a cleaner-burning fuel, reducing emissions into the environment, as well as causing less wear and tear on the engine. The useful life of the oil, spark plugs, and other engine components is extended, saving money on vehicle maintenance."

Bill Langlois of Charter Fuels said fuel costs will be even greater as gasoline prices increase. Autogas is historically around $1 per gallon less than gasoline, and autogas fleets also report savings from reduced vehicle maintenance needs because autogas burns cleaner. Autogas conversions from Alliance utilize the bi-fuel Prins Vapor Sequential Injection (VSI) system, which allows drivers to revert to gasoline if an autogas fueling station cannot be reached when the tank is running low. The unique ability of the vapor system to be transferred from one vehicle to another makes it an especially viable option for fleets.

Source: Charter Fuels