[Taboleo] ‘The Feet of Small Business Owners’ Porter 1t Truck Runs on LPG

LPG 1t Truck Sales Exceed 70,000 Units This Year
Engine Power 18% Higher Than Diesel Models
Annual Maintenance Cost Savings Over 170,000 KRW
Shorter Charging Time Than Electric Vehicles Also an Advantage

Hyundai Motor Company's 1-ton truck Porter has been one of the best-selling vehicles in Korea several times recently, including in 2016, 2021, and 2022. What does it mean that a commercial vehicle, not a passenger car, was the best-selling vehicle domestically? It could be said that Porter has fulfilled its role as the 'foot of small business owners' and the 'car of the common people.'

Looking at this year's sales, the increase in LPG vehicle sales stands out more than electric vehicles. Hyundai launched the Porter electric vehicle in 2019, but it was not welcomed among cargo drivers due to its short driving range (211 km). Even looking at sales up to November this year, sales of LPG 1-ton trucks (Porter and Bongo) exceeded 70,000 units, while sales of electric 1-ton trucks remained around 15,000 units during the same period.

Hyundai Porter LPG Truck. Photo by Woo Su-yeon

Sitting in the driver's seat, the wide-open view made driving comfortable. In the center of the dashboard, there is an 8-inch touchscreen that allows easy operation of all functions. The infotainment system made it easy to search for nearby LPG refueling stations and repair shops.

Porter, widely used for moving, delivery, and transporting food ingredients, relies heavily on engine power. The Porter LPG is equipped with a '4th generation LPDi engine' that directly injects high-pressure LPG into the engine combustion chamber for combustion. It delivers a maximum output of 159 horsepower and a maximum torque of 30.0 kgf·m. Compared to the existing 2.5 diesel model, the maximum output has improved by 18%, while the maximum torque remains the same. This breaks the prejudice that LPG vehicles are weaker than diesel ones.

Hyundai Porter LPG Interior. Photo by Woo Su-yeon

Of course, it is difficult to expect passenger car-level comfort in ride quality. However, stable driving was possible even during cornering or rapid acceleration, and passengers rated the ride quality better than expected. Convenience features such as forward collision-avoidance assist, lane departure warning, and rear parking distance warning are included at a minimum necessary level.

The biggest advantage of LPG vehicles is their low maintenance cost. Based on prices from the Korea National Oil Corporation's Opinet, comparing fuel costs between the LPG Porter and diesel Porter, assuming an annual driving distance of 18,000 km, the LPG model costs about 170,000 KRW less in fuel annually than the diesel model.

A Porter LPG being refueled at an LPG station in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Woo Su-yeon

Fuel efficiency is better in the diesel model at 8.8 km/l, compared to 6.5 km/l for LPG. However, the supply price of the fuel itself is much cheaper for LPG (diesel at 1,518.71 KRW per liter, LPG at 1,058.83 KRW per liter). Considering the purpose of Porter as a livelihood vehicle used daily, the lower fuel cost is its greatest strength. According to a survey conducted by the Korea LPG Association targeting about 100 contract buyers of LPG 1-ton trucks, 34% of respondents cited low fuel and maintenance costs as the reason for purchasing an LPG 1-ton truck.

In fact, I also tried refueling at a station. It took less than 5 minutes to refuel. The vehicle's infotainment system made it easy to find nearby LPG refueling stations. As of September last year, there are 1,986 LPG refueling stations operating in Korea. Compared to electric vehicle charging stations (about 360,000 units), this is a smaller number, but considering the short refueling time, the refueling infrastructure can be considered well established. The Porter II LPG vehicle price starts at 20.28 million KRW for the 2WD extra-long wheelbase standard cab, 20.39 million KRW for the super cab, and 21.66 million KRW for the double cab.