Russia's fuel crisis drives surge in car gas conversions
Russia is facing problems not only with gasoline, but also with gas (photo: Getty Images)
Against the backdrop of Russia's worsening fuel crisis, demand for installing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems in cars has surged. However, Russians have run into several serious problems there as well, The Moscow Times reports.
Due to the gasoline shortage in Russia, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems for cars are once again at the peak of popularity. However, manufacturers and auto repair shops are unable to meet the increased demand.
Russian media claim that in June, the number of requests to convert cars to run on gas was 35% higher than in March and April.
Due to the surge in demand, appointments for LPG system installation are already fully booked for the next three months, market participants said.
In addition, workshops that convert vehicles to run on gas have faced a shortage of the necessary equipment.
They are already complaining that suppliers were not prepared for the sharp increase in demand: inventories were quickly depleted. Moreover, the cost of equipment kits has nearly doubled.
The main manufacturer of LPG equipment, the Novogrudok Gas Equipment Plant, is also unable to cope with the large number of orders.
At present, Russians will have to pay between 53,000 and 90,000 rubles for a gas system installation, excluding registration.
Gasoline prices in Russia are once again hitting record highs due to daily attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin recently acknowledged problems with fuel supplies, but immediately lied about their true scale.
It is also known that on July 2, Ukraine struck one of the largest oil refineries in Russia.
