Proton GEN-2 Ecologic Huge fuel savings Uses petrol and LPG From £10,795
Proton has bolstered its GEN-2 range with the addition of two low-cost Ecologic models, which use both petrol and cheaper LPG to slash drivers’ fuel bills down to size.
And the best thing about it is that the LPG range comes at no extra cost at all. The asking price for the Ecologic models is exactly the same as the standard 1.6-litre petrols: £10,995 for the hatchback and £10,795 for the saloon.
A litre of LPG costs roughly half the price of petrol, and drivers covering the average annual mileage of 10,000 miles will pocket £500 every year from the moment the GEN-2 leaves the dealership. Mega-mileage commuters will make even greater instant savings.
Proton has cut production costs to the bone and it takes the outlay of fitting the LPG system on the chin so buyers make a lean saving straightaway.
The Ecologic models in Proton’s GEN-2 Hatch and GEN-2 Persona ranges run on either of the two fuels and swaps seamlessly from petrol at start-up to LPG soon after.
Its main advantage is that it costs about half the price of petrol, so you can make big savings quickly. It's quieter and greener, too.
LPG has about 80% of the range of petrol, meaning you'd go further on a litre of petrol than a litre of LPG.
But remember that LPG is much cheaper to buy and therefore it's a lower-cost option. You also need to sacrifice boot space, and the spare wheel, to accommodate the tank.
LPG consists of propane and butane and is a by-product of the extraction and refining of crude oil. At a certain temperature, and when pressurised, it turns to liquid.
Yes, just as safe as petrol or diesel. Proton says that all of its LPG tanks are rigorously tested and considerably stronger than conventional fuel tanks.
Drivers have the pick of over 1400 filling stations in the UK that sell LPG.
The GEN-2 Ecologic automatically switches to petrol when LPG is low, giving you time to find an LPG filling station.
The LPG control button near the handbrake lights up to display how much fuel is left.
CO2 figures are unconfirmed, but emissions should decrease by around 15%. If so, the Ecologic models will move to a cheaper tax band than the standard GEN-2.
