A Swiss jury has awarded the title ‘most eco-friendly car’ of 2013 to the Fiat Panda TwinAir Turbo Natural Power. Heading the list of ten competitors, including some hybrid and electric vehicles, Fiat’s new compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered city-car won out thanks to its environmental and economic benefits together with excellent driving performance. The Panda Natural Power boasts reduced CO2 emissions – 86 g/km, a Fiat Group record – and limited consumption: 3.1 kg/100 km in the combined cycle.
Sponsored by the magazine ‘Schweizer Illustrierte’, the title was conferred yesterday during the formal ceremony at the Umweltarena, Spreitenbach, the Swiss centre for environmental technology.
The new 80 HP Panda TwinAir Turbo Natural Power is said to be the first car in the world to be fitted with a bi-fuel (CNG/petrol) two-cylinder engine with turbocharger. It has a high specific power rating and high torque delivery. It also has wider track and torsion beam rear suspension with more rolling rigidity specifically designed for the methane version – improving safety and road handling compared to the previous version.
Available in 4 or 5-seater versions, the new Panda ensures reduced CO2 levels (86 g/km) and limited consumption (3.1 kg/100 km in the combined type-approval cycle) when running on methane. The vehicle’s emissions are an absolute record for Fiat Group cars and one of the lowest on the entire market.
Range has increased approximately 10% compared to the Panda Classic 1.4 Natural Power, despite 30% better performance. The arrangement of the two CNG tanks under the car’s floor panel also allows the luggage compartment capacity to remain the same as on the petrol and diesel versions. Last but not least, in addition to having access to town centres with environmental traffic restrictions, the new methane-fuelled Panda can use underground car parks and travel on ferries.
The Panda TwinAir Turbo Natural Power extends Fiat’s “ecological” range which has contributed to Fiat being recognised as the brand with the lowest level of CO2 emissions of cars sold in Europe in 2011, with an average value of 118.2 g/km (4.9 g/km less than the 2010 average). Since 1997, over 500,000 cars and commercial vehicles in the Natural Power range have been sold.
Like all Fiat methane cars, the Panda Natural Power is original equipment factory manufactured (OEM), guaranteed by Fiat itself and marketed through the brand’s normal dealership network.
(This article compiled using information from a Fiat press release)
