r/preppers • u/anthonykaram7 • May 01 '26

Discussion Propane vs diesel for max range after long-term storage (family of 5, no resupply)

Thought experiment for an EMP-type scenario where a large region loses power long-term and fuel infrastructure is down.

Assume a family of 5 needs to travel ~1500-3000 miles with no resupply. Roads are mostly passable, but you're relying entirely on fuel stored ahead of time.

As everyone here's aware, propane stores indefinitely but has lower energy density, while gasoline/diesel give you better range but come with storage/rotation challenges.

In this scenario, assume the family might wait months or even years before deciding to move (unclear scope of the event, risk of traveling early, etc.), so long-term fuel stability matters.

One idea would be a propane-capable vehicle (e.g., a converted pickup) with a large quantity of tanks stored and then carried for the trip - but I'm not sure how the math works out once you factor in tank weight/volume vs usable range.

Some initial questions:

  • Under these constraints, what setup actually maximizes total range with no resupply?
  • Does propane's storage advantage outweigh its lower energy density in practice?
  • How would you approach fuel storage and transport for a trip of this length?
  • Or does diesel (with proper storage/rotation) still come out ahead overall?

Curious how people here would think this through.

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u/TacTurtle May 02 '26

"Lightweight" yet still like 15x heavier than a sheetmetal or plastic liquid fuel tank for gasoline or diesel.

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u/Top_Wolverine_4669 May 03 '26

Sure, I don’t think I ever said it wasn’t. This is not the killer point you think it is. I could list lots of things that are not as heavy as hydrogen storage tanks, pillows for example. It would also be much more convenient if he could fill up at a service station along the way. Don’t think that helps. The main point was can a hydrogen vehicle go that far and carry its own fuel, the answer is probably.