How Russian fuel shortages are changing the nation’s vehicles

• Russians are increasingly converting their vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) following nationwide fuel shortages and escalating petrol prices, which have been exacerbated by Ukrainian attacks on refineries.
• Companies specialising in LPG conversions, such as Garant-Gas and Medvedev GBO in Moscow, are experiencing unprecedented demand, with waiting lists extending for months and a significant increase in enquiries they cannot fully accommodate.
• The shift to LPG is driven by its substantial cost savings, with prices being 50% to two-thirds lower than petrol, and the added benefit of avoiding long queues at filling stations.
• Russia is already the world's leading consumer of LPG as car fuel, utilising approximately 3.5 million metric tons in 2024, with motor fuel accounting for 54% of the country's total LPG consumption last year.
• LPG, comprising butane and propane, is also considered a less emissions-intensive fuel compared to traditional petrol, offering an environmental advantage.