"Almost no kits left": Kirov residents are massively converting cars to gas against the backdrop of the gasoline situation.

      The correspondent of Newsler.ru found out what is happening in the Kirov region. It turns out that the demand for the installation of gas equipment has also increased here: queues at auto services reach two months, and workshop owners are already warning about a possible shortage of equipment. According to the data from the services surveyed by Newsler.ru, installing gas cylinder equipment on one of the most popular models — Lada Vesta — today costs from 60 to 70 thousand rubles. In one of the auto services, they reported that the waiting time for installation is about two weeks. At the same time, they admit that the equipment supplies are almost exhausted. "There are no cylinders. We have the last 15 sets — whoever manages to sign up will get them. As for the rest, we don't know what we will do," the service reported. In another center, the cost of installation on the Lada Vesta is about 60 thousand rubles, but waiting for one's turn will take about two months. They confirmed that the increase in demand is directly related to the situation in the fuel market. In yet another service, the correspondent of Newsler.ru was informed that installing gas equipment on a Kia Rio will cost about 60 thousand rubles. Appointments are already being made until the end of July. "If the equipment is installed correctly, there will be no serious harm to the engine." Regarding how safe the transition to gas is and whether it really helps save money, Newsler.ru spoke with two-time Russian rally raid champion in the T3 class, sports master Vadim Fedotov. According to him, gas cylinder equipment itself does not pose a danger to the car — under one important condition. "If the equipment is installed properly, in a specialized center and with compliance with all requirements, there will be no significant wear on the engine. Problems begin when people try to install it in a makeshift way — in garages, without the necessary permits and experience. It is then that risks arise, including fires, which we periodically see on the internet," Fedotov noted. He emphasizes that only new equipment should be installed and exclusively in specialized services that have the right to perform such work. There are savings, but it will not be possible to completely abandon gasoline. According to Vadim Fedotov, from the perspective of fuel costs, gas indeed remains one of the most cost-effective options. Moreover, gas is considered a more environmentally friendly type of fuel. It is no coincidence that there is currently a federal program for converting public transport to gas motor fuel, and many new buses already operate on it. However, car owners will not be able to completely abandon gasoline. "Gas is additional equipment. The gasoline system does not disappear anywhere. Moreover, many manufacturers recommend starting the engine on gasoline and only switching to gas after warming up. Therefore, installing gas equipment and completely forgetting about gasoline will not be possible," explained the interlocutor of Newsler.ru. At the same time, if a car owner who has switched from gasoline to gas decides to abandon the gas equipment, there will be no serious problems. "When you get tired of it — just remove the equipment, and that's it. There are no irreversible structural changes in the engine," the athlete noted. The main problem is not the cars, but the infrastructure. According to Fedotov, if interest in gas equipment continues to grow at the current pace, the region may face another problem — a shortage of gas stations. "If tomorrow every third car switches to gas, there will simply be nowhere to refuel them. The infrastructure today is not ready for such a number of cars," he believes. According to him, federal programs for the development of gas motor fuel exist, but in the Kirov region, the construction of new gas filling stations is currently practically not being carried out. At the same time, the expert notes that the situation with gasoline in the region remains relatively stable thanks to logistics from the Perm region. "We do not experience problems specifically with the lack of fuel. There are gas stations where gasoline is about a quarter more expensive — there are no queues there. There are stations with more reasonable prices, but either the fuel runs out quickly or there are long queues," Fedotov said.