LEVC TX Bi-Fuel system licensed in Birmingham: A milestone for even cheaper and greener taxis?
SBL Automotive has announced a significant milestone: the bi-fuel evolution of the LEVC TX is now available for vehicles licensed by Birmingham City Council.
This development marks a big step in further reducing emissions and operating costs for taxi drivers in the city. The new system enables the LEVC TX to run on either LPG or biopropane, instead of traditional petrol.
This change offers notable environmental benefits, with a 10% reduction in net CO2 emissions when using LPG and an impressive 99% reduction when using biopropane. SBL Automotive also claim operators can expect a 20% or more decrease in operating costs. As production volumes of biomethane and biopropane increase, further savings are anticipated.
The initiative extends the fossil fuel-powered range extender engine of the TX and VN5 to use compressed natural gas (CNG), biomethane, LPG, and biopropane. These fuels serve as drop-in replacements, requiring no further modifications to the vehicle.
The bi-fuel system utilises Prins Alternative Fuel Systems VSI-3 hardware, including fuel tanks, bi-fuel ECU, gaseous fuel injectors, and specific regulators and vaporisers, all compliant with relevant safety standards. For CNG/biomethane, a pressure regulator is used, while LPG/biopropane systems use a vaporiser. The system's design enhances the vehicle’s operating range significantly—by approximately 90% for LPG/biopropane and 70% for CNG/biomethane, thanks to the retention of the original petrol tank.
These lower-carbon and renewable fuels are available today, offering a practical solution for reducing emissions from internal combustion engines. The bi-fuel evolution allows existing petrol or diesel engines to transition seamlessly to these alternative fuels, ensuring a sustainable future for urban transport.
An SBL Automotive spokesperson said: “Delighted to announce our bi-fuel evolution of the LEVC TX is now available for TXs licensed by Birmingham City Council.
“Adopting LPG or biopropane in place of petrol lowers net CO2 emissions by 10% (using LPG) or 99% (using biopropane) & lowers operating costs by 20%+.”
