The CEO of Autogás, João das Neves, announced that Autogas has completed the phase of reinforcing the capacity of existing stations, which culminated in doubling the capacity to supply vehicles at existing stations.

Autogas currently operates 6 CNG stations, namely at the EMTPM bus terminal in Maputo city, Posto do Zoo, Posto da Machava, Posto da N4 Mahlampsene, Mozal and Marracuene, located in Maputo city and province.

A new unit has been installed at the EMTPM bus terminal to serve ten buses at the same time, making it possible to alleviate the queues that used to characterize refuelling there. This means that vehicles can now fill up more quickly and without having to wait in long queues, as has been the case recently.

The company has updated the technical characteristics of the compression equipment at all its stations and installed new high-flow dispensers, thus upgrading its technical structure for better efficiency.

On the other hand, Das Neves referred to the halving of the cost of converting vehicles to use Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) as an incentive that the company is giving Mozambicans to join.

To this end, Autogás is subsidizing the cost of conversion, with the aim of increasing the use of this fuel, which presents itself as the solution for Mozambicans at a time when liquid fuels are very expensive and the world has decided to abandon them for environmental reasons.

The good news comes in response to the challenge that consumers have been asking about the cost of conversions.

"Since the beginning of the project, Mozambicans have said yes to Natural Gas, that they are prepared and that they recognize the importance of using Natural Gas Vehicles, but the cost of conversions was a huge challenge. As Autogás has consolidated its position in the market, it has invested not only in expanding the network of filling stations, but also in reducing the price of conversions.

He added that the most interested customers are large fleet owners, distribution companies and public and private passenger transport, which have been gradually joining the project," he said.

In this sense, as the CEO of Autogás explained, the conversion of a tourist vehicle, which used to cost around 80,000 to 120,000 meticais, now starts at 48,000 meticais. For a little face mini-bus or even a high-cylinder car, a V6 or V8, the conversion used to range from 120 to 160 thousand meticais, but today it starts at 80 thousand meticais.

He explained that, at the moment, for those who use their vehicles regularly, it is possible to pay off the conversion cost with the savings on fuel within four to five months, in other words, "if someone spends 20,000 meticais a month, by converting to gas, they pay 10,000 meticais and save 10,000 meticais every month. If the conversion cost 50,000 meticais, in five months they can pay for the conversion with the savings."

It should be noted that Autogás is working with seven Natural Gas Vehicle stations in Maputo, Matola and Marracuene and intends to be in the entire southern part of the country within the next five years.

"Two more filling stations are planned for this year and probably the third at the beginning of next year. These are three projects we're working on, with investment already secured. At the moment, we're in the process of gradual implementation, namely licensing, engineering details, among other aspects," said the CEO.

When asked about the possible expansion of the project on a national scale, Das Neves said that it depends on two factors: firstly, the adherence of Mozambicans to the project, i.e. the faster people join, the faster Autogás will mobilize funds to extend the network; secondly, it depends on the availability of gas: "here in the south of the country, we have the gas pipeline up and running, but other provinces, such as Sofala, Manica, Tete, Nampula, among others, depend a lot on the availability of supplies from the north.

So as soon as we have access to LNG in Cabo Delgado onshoreIn other words, on land, we will expand the network of posts to the north and center of Mozambique".

Das Neves also referred to the Matola old road station, located at the bus terminal of the Matola Municipal Transport Company (ETM), which will come into operation later this year, and two other posts to be started this year in Maputo City, as well as a post under construction along the EN1 in Chicumbane - Gaza Province.

Another important aspect is the government's encouragement of the widespread use of vehicular natural gas in the country.

The CEO of Autogás believes that in all the countries where natural gas has taken hold, there have initially been incentives from the state. If it is not possible to pay out money for the financial stimulus, the state can, for example, determine that, on certain routes where gas is already available, public passenger transport and others can only be licensed if they run on gas.

AUTOGÁS is the Mozambican company dedicated to the distribution and sale of vehicular natural gas (Compressed Natural Gas - CNG) in the country, with an estimated investment of US$ 10 Million and which has so far converted approximately five thousand vehicles.

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