ALSA buys the first 2 Autogas minibuses in Spain
By Carlos Bermudez Garcia, Autogas Development Department, Repsol
****We are looking forward to the World LP Gas Forum taking place from 28 September - 1 October in Madrid this year. Repsol is honored to announce that ALSA, the leading organisation in the Spanish passenger road transport sector will visit the REPSOL Autogas Station on Monday 27, with their 2 new Autogas mini-coaches**** Please read more on ALSA here.
ALSA is a company with more than one hundred years of experience and a lifelong vocation for innovation. We are actually talking about the leader in the Spanish sector of road passenger transport.In this line, after its integration with the British group National Express, the first operator of buses and trains in the UK, ALSA has consolidated its leadership position in the Spanish market with the 2007 acquisition of Continental Auto Group.
ALSA currently has a fleet of 2,300 buses, which travel annually over 330 million miles and more than 144 million passengers a year are attended by a competent team of 5,500 professionals, and it´s present in many countries inside EU and North Africa, being a member of Eurolines.
Also, talking about ALSA means to talk about an innovative company committed with the environment, as we can evidence by the fact that it has put into service the first 2 Autogas powered vans in their fleet (both models are Mercedes-Benz Sprinter). These 2 units may be the frist of many others, as in their plans there is the possibility of expanding the fleet of minibuses powered by this alternative fuel. What´s more, these are the first Autogas-powered minibuses in Spain (and maybe in Europe?).
Many other companies in the bus sector are becoming interested in this ALSA initiative, and Autogas minibuses will be incorporated to their fleets. So, this is surely a big step for Autogas today and for the Environment tomorrow...
And in general in Spain....
Our product is the most used alternative fuel in the world (more than 15 million vehicles use it worldwide and more than 7 million are in Europe).
However, in Spain, despite the growth and sweet momentum over recent years, it still remains relatively speaking a great unknown (used only by 4,000 vehicles). This ignorance is due to the delay in the development of the market brought about by a series of regulatory and cultural issues detailed below:
Prohibition of approval for new Autogas vehicles until 2000 and for converted Autogas vehicles until 2003 (except for taxis).
Very high and prohibitive excise duty for private vehicles.
Rigidities in the rules applicable to the construction of LP Gas filling stations.
From 2003-2004 the autogas business in Spain was limited to the sale of LP Gas for taxis, buses or forklift trucks and thus commercial development of autogas was not viable until 2006-2007.
This is changing fast: Government support is at its strongest; vehicle manufacturers already have OEM models, and the gas companies (like REPSOL) are including autogas in service stations with the latest technology available (European connectors, multi-fuel dispensers, "snail" tanks, electronic and remote control level sensors, electronic payment, fidelity cards, etc.).
There is great and increasing interest from final consumers, with successful experiences in both domestic and international companies. Customers such as MRW, SEUR, ANEA (National Federation of Ambulance Companies), Leche Pascual, Carrefour, IKEA, Coca-Cola, CNAE (National Driving Schools Confederation) and also thousands of taxi drivers are already using Autogas in their fleets with very favourable results and great satisfaction, thanks to the economical and environmental benefits given by autogas.
Major development is expected in Spain due to the positive current situation of the autogas market and the fact that autogas is included in EU guidelines to achieve targets in terms of reduction of pollutant emissions and clean and efficient vehicles. In terms of expectations and future of autogas, on the short term it has a big window of opportunity until 2014, due to the contamination advantages of spark ignition engines compared with diesel engines. In a longer term, we see big possibilities for autogas if the LP Gas industry fits autogas properly with gasoline direct injection engines, and positions it as an environmentally friendly partner to hybrid-electric vehicles that will surely be growing up fast in the next decades.
Internally, we are sure that the World LP Gas Forum to be held in Madrid between September 27 and October 1, is a great opportunity to demonstrate the environmental benefits of autogas. As it was underscored by the Mayor of Madrid Town Hall, M. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, at the presentation of this World Congress last December:
"this will be an appointment of the utmost importance for Spain, and especially for Madrid, in its bid to become a global city".
Therefore, at REPSOL, we have great expectations for the World LP Gas Forum which will be held in parallel for the first time ever with the European LP Gas Congress and the Ibero-American LP Gas Meeting to be attended by over 1,500 people from over 50 countries.
See you in Madrid!
Please contact Carlos for more information on the Spanish market: cbermudezg@repsol.com
