Auto LPG industry seeks five-year age extension for commercial vehicles

The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) on Friday urged the government to include Auto LPG-powered commercial vehicles in a proposed five-year extension of the age limit for certain vehicles operating under the national permit system.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed extending the prescribed vehicle age limit by five years for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-driven commercial vehicles covered by the national permit regime.

Welcoming the proposal, the IAC said Auto LPG vehicles that meet prescribed safety, fitness and emission standards should also qualify for the extension, arguing that cleaner-mobility policy should remain technology-neutral.

"The proposed five-year extension for EVs, hydrogen and natural gas vehicles is a welcome step, but a cleaner mobility policy cannot be technology-selective. Auto LPG must also be included. It is a proven, readily available and cost-effective transport fuel that can reduce vehicular emissions today, including through the conversion of suitable existing petrol vehicles. If the objective is to encourage cleaner transportation, every viable technology should have an opportunity to qualify based on its emissions performance, safety, affordability, infrastructure readiness and contribution to energy security," said Suyash Gupta, Director General, Indian Auto LPG Coalition.

The coalition said any age extension for Auto LPG vehicles should remain conditional on compliance with mandatory fitness, safety, emission and other regulatory requirements.

The IAC's proposal comes as India seeks to accelerate the shift toward cleaner road transport while a large existing vehicle fleet remains on the country's roads.

The coalition said EVs and hydrogen-powered vehicles could play a growing role in the longer-term transition, but replacing the existing fleet entirely would take years. Converting suitable petrol vehicles to Auto LPG, it said, could offer an alternative way to reduce emissions from vehicles already in operation.

Auto LPG is used by more than 30 million vehicles globally and is available at nearly 80,000 refuelling stations, according to the coalition. In India, it said, there are close to 2,500 Auto LPG dispensing outlets, alongside an established vehicle-conversion ecosystem.

The IAC argued that extending eligibility to compliant Auto LPG vehicles would allow fleet owners to extract greater value from existing investments while supporting emissions reduction without requiring immediate vehicle replacement.

"A multi-fuel approach can help address the different requirements of India’s diverse vehicle market," the coalition said, describing EVs and hydrogen as longer-term pathways while positioning Auto LPG as an option for segments where conversion may be more feasible than replacing vehicles.

The group has called for Auto LPG-powered commercial vehicles to be added to the proposed national-permit age-extension framework before the amendments are finalised.

The IAC is the industry body representing stakeholders in India's Auto LPG sector, including oil-sector public sector undertakings, private Auto LPG marketers, conversion-kit suppliers and equipment manufacturers. It also works with industry bodies including the World LPG Association and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and participates in government and standards-related committees.