France fuel prices drive interest in LPG and alternative fuels

Rising fuel costs in France are driving motorists to seek cheaper alternatives to gasoline and diesel. As diesel prices have exceeded 2.39 euros per liter, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has emerged as a significant cost-saving option. Although LPG vehicles consume 10% to 15% more fuel than gasoline engines, the lower price per liter—averaging approximately 1.052 euros—can result in annual savings of 500 to 600 euros for regular drivers. Some motorists also consider converting existing gasoline vehicles to LPG.

Other extreme measures, such as using vegetable oils like rapeseed or sunflower oil, have gained traction on social media. However, experts warn that using cooking oil in modern diesel engines poses a high risk of mechanical failure, as contemporary technology is not designed for such dense fuels. Furthermore, using non-approved substances as fuel is illegal under French customs law, which prohibits the use of products without official certification or the payment of energy taxes, except for specific industrial recycling processes used by certain fleets.