As the price of oil continues to rise we all are seeking relief. We all know that Jeeps have always been a pretty demanding on fuel. The relatively large engine and lack of any type of fuel efficient aerodynamics continually plague the Jeep with a low MPG. Consequently, this can really put some Jeep owners in a financial bind. However, there is some good news for the average Jeep owner looking for a little relief at the pump –alternative fuels.
There are many alternate power sources offered today for any given Jeep. Two very reliable ones are LPG and the electric motor. Both of these options will give you a decrease in fuel consumption and cost. This may not seem apparent when you have to spend the initial amount to convert your gas guzzler into a “green machine”. However, in the long run any of these power sources will save you money the planet at the same time.
Electric motors have been around for quite sometime, but it is only recently that they have become efficient enough to be considered as a replacement in your Jeep. These motors can produce the same amount of horse power and even an increase in torque. This alternative is initially the most costly, but after that is paid for than the operation cost of your electrically powered Jeep is drastically less. On average, it cost nearly 15,000 dollars for the batteries, engines and all the other necessary components for the conversion. However, the cost of one “Gallon” of Electricity is about 75 cents. You can do the math on that one –big savings –as apposed to the current cost of gasoline. The electric engine does, however, have a relatively short range of operation –only able to go about forty miles on the electric engine alone. The hybrid version which has a small gas powered engine in addition to the electric motor has a range that far surpassed the range of the electric motor alone.
LPG is also a great way to decrease the operation cost of your Jeep. After the cost of the conversion kit and the tank that is required to run the LPG you are looking at around 2500 dollars depending on where you get your parts. The yearly cost for an average(14000 miles, half city and half highway) Jeep owner with a 4.0 flat six is around 3000 dollars. Which mean it would cost you a years worth of fuel cost in order to convert your Jeep to LPG. So, you would not be seeing any savings until one year after you implement the new fuel. After the first year you will see a major boast in your savings in fuel cost.
The good news is that the implication of either one of these alternatives with give you the same amount or even an increase in off-road capabilities. These conversion will save money you money, get more performance out of your Jeep and reduce your carbon footprint all at once.
This blog post was created by Live Offroad, an online store offering CJ & Wrangler Jeep Parts, including CJ & Wrangler Lift Kits, Jeep JK Wrangler Body Parts, CJ Offroad Upgrades, and many moreJeep Parts and Jeep Accessories for CJ & Wrangler.
