autoblog.com — The Multipla Multi-eco concept, meanwhile, runs on methane, gasoline or E85 bioethanol. Like the Panda Panda, the methane is stored in separate tanks, while the main tank takes either gas or bioethanol, leaving the ECU to switch modes automatically according to the fuel used.
Sep 19, 2006 View in Crawl 4
pairanoydSep 20, 2006
Cool!Three different ways to blow up and die..I prefer the air car. <a class="user" href="http://www.theaircar.com">http://www.theaircar.com</a>
Closed AccountSep 20, 2006
hmmm, sorry if i look skeptical, but as a brasilian, this is absolutelly NOT news.we have flex fuel cars for a while now (the run on alcohol, gasoline or any mixture of the two) and for almost 10 years we have cars running on vehicular gas (dunno if it's methane or propane).you can buy a conversion kit that includes a reprogramed fuel injection controler, valves, tubing ang a steel cilinder to contain the gas from several companies, and most big cities have vehicular gas stations, some even offer all 3 fuels: gasoline, gas and alcohol.so if you live here, just buy a flex-fuel car, install the gas kit, and happy driving.all FIAT is doing, is taking brasilian technology, developed by state funded universities and introducing it to europe.BTW, cuoops: FIAT means "Fui Iludido, Agora é Tarde" or "I've been scamed, now it's too late" ^_-
rodrigokenobiSep 20, 2006
Covarde, you are right that the original alcohol engines were developed by state funded research (back in the 70's), but the newer multi-fuel beasts were developed primarily by private companies.
felchdonkeySep 20, 2006
I'm glad you pointed that out. I was about to bring up the Obvio, a Brasilian car about to come to the US... <a class="user" href="http://zapworld.com/cars/obvio012.asp">http://zapworld.com/cars/obvio012.asp</a>
mattimotoSep 20, 2006
yep... it could have been based on the old Multipla. <a class="user" href="http://autooboz.site.kz/foto/fiat/fiat_multipla.jpg">http://autooboz.site.kz/foto/fiat/fiat_multipla.jpg</a>
lowededwookieSep 20, 2006
I think the best design feature of this car, the one that they thought real long and hard about, is the placement of those four fuel tanks.All four under the SEATS.Fantastic. I always feel happy riding fuel tanks, always conscious that they could rupture and explode. I suppose driving this car would be the closest we could ever get to the feeling the Space Shuttle crew feel on every liftoff.Two sarcastic thumbs up for Fiat there. ;-)