Start with the conversion you can actually obtain
A French E85 retrofit story is not automatically a Canadian offer. Ethanol blends and propane are different fuels, and their equipment is not interchangeable. For this Canadian guide, the practical local lead is AFS Automotive in Burnaby, British Columbia, whose own site advertises propane conversions. The service is an LPG alternative to investigate, not an E85 installation relabelled for a new country.
The shop describes options involving propane and gasoline. Its published address is 7438 Gilley Avenue, Burnaby. That is a specific place to make an enquiry; it is not evidence of installation coverage across Canada. Before planning a visit, ask whether the team can assess your exact vehicle, engine, model year and intended use. There is no universal installed price or guaranteed savings figure in this article.
The route matters as much as the vehicle
Begin with the places you actually drive. Identify suitable automotive propane refuelling on those routes, check access and opening hours, and think about longer trips. A station shown on a map may require confirmation before you depend on it. Include detours in your decision rather than comparing only the price printed at the pump.
Then look at your annual distance and the time you expect to keep the vehicle. A conversion with a substantial installation cost may be difficult to justify for low mileage or a short ownership period. Conversely, high mileage does not settle the question by itself: vehicle compatibility, maintenance needs and the installed system still matter. Use your own records rather than another driver’s claimed result.
Ask for an installed scope, not just a kit price
A useful quotation explains the equipment, labour, tank arrangement, setup and any required inspection or documentation. Ask what happens to luggage or load space, how refuelling works, and what service schedule the system needs. If the vehicle retains gasoline use, ask when it uses each fuel so your cost estimate can account for both.
Discuss warranty and insurance questions before committing. Provincial requirements and vehicle circumstances need to be checked with the appropriate installer or authority; this article does not establish legal approval for a particular car. Avoid treating a seller’s general statement as a vehicle-specific answer. Keep the written scope, exclusions and aftercare arrangements together so you can compare an installed proposal with your current running costs.
Compare cost per kilometre, not price per litre
A cheaper litre does not automatically mean cheaper travel. The vehicle may use a different volume of propane than gasoline over the same distance. Compare each fuel’s consumption in litres per 100 kilometres multiplied by its price per litre. The calculator below uses separate consumption inputs so it does not silently assume equal fuel use.
Enter your own annual distance and a complete installed quotation. The defaults are only editable arithmetic examples, not current Canadian pump prices or an AFS quote. If the estimated fuel-cost difference is zero or negative, there is no fuel-only payback under those assumptions. A positive result is still incomplete until you consider maintenance, financing, insurance, retained gasoline use and extra travel for refuelling.
Make your own comparison
Fuel-cost calculator
Editable examples, not market prices or an installer quote. Use separate consumption figures for gasoline and propane.
Use a conservative second scenario
After trying your central estimate, make the assumptions less favourable. Reduce annual distance, increase propane consumption or narrow the price gap. Watch what happens to the estimated payback period. A decision that depends on one unusually favourable price difference deserves another look before money is committed.
Keep the comparison focused on the actual vehicle. Do not borrow a consumption figure from a different engine or a claimed saving from a fleet with different routes. If you lack the information to estimate reliably, the useful next step is a question to the installer, not a more precise-looking spreadsheet. A calculation can organise uncertainty, but it cannot remove it.
Make an informed local enquiry
Prepare the registration details, engine information, mileage, service history and typical driving pattern. Ask AFS whether it currently offers an appropriate conversion for that vehicle and what information is needed for a written estimate. Confirm appointment availability directly. A link to a provider is an invitation to investigate the service, not a reservation or approval.
You may decide to keep the existing fuel system, investigate a different vehicle or revisit the question when your driving pattern changes. Those are legitimate outcomes. This guide does not promise lower emissions, a fixed percentage reduction in fuel bills, a particular payback date or compatibility with every gasoline car. The decision should follow the documented scope and the costs that apply to you.
The questions worth asking
Three useful answers
Is this an E85 conversion?
No. This offer concerns automotive propane/LPG in Canada. Ethanol E85 is a different fuel and requires different vehicle suitability and equipment.
Can any gasoline vehicle be converted?
Do not assume so. The installer needs to assess the specific model, engine, year, condition and intended use, along with applicable requirements.
Does a positive calculator result guarantee payback?
No. It is a fuel-only estimate from editable assumptions. Installation scope, retained gasoline use, servicing, financing, insurance and refuelling detours can change the result.
Sources & commercial disclosure
Provider information reviewed on 21 September 2026. Check the current provider pages before acting. Practical exercises and calculator assumptions are our own guidance, not promised provider outcomes.
This is advertising content from Unamonos, operated by Major Tom Agency Inc.. It introduces an external service. Any agreement is with that provider under its terms. Referral parameters identify this site and article; they do not change the destination.