Germany, Frankfurt
Only 69 g/km CO2 emissions
Fiat is to debut their Panda Aria concept car at the Frankfurt Motor show later this month. The Aria features a bi-fuel gasoline, methane/hydrogen engine as a demonstration of ‘Fiat’s viewpoint of cars with a low environmental impact’. This concept car makes use of technology already or close to being readily available on the market.
The concept car combines an innovative
powertrain architecture – represented by the new SGE 900 cc Turbo twin-cylinder
80 bhp engine, equipped with the Multiair® system for dual
petrol/methane-hydrogen fuel management. This sophisticated fuel management system is
already designed to operate with a mixture of methane (70%) and hydrogen (30%).
The twin-cylinder engine is combined with a Stop&Start device and the
innovative MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) gearbox
On the Panda Aria the new twin-cylinder
engine is combined with a dual fuel management system, with petrol and a
mixture of methane (70%) and hydrogen (30%); this solution also helps to reduce
polluting emissions by guaranteeing more efficient, complete combustion. It
also makes it possible to increase the engine’s thermodynamic efficiency and to
achieve combustion stability values that are better than those possible with
methane alone, in certain operating conditions. This means that
methane-hydrogen vehicles represent a step forward for an existing technology
that is open to further refinement and new applications. Methane-hydrogen mixes
can thus represent a ‘bridge’ solution in the medium term, while infrastructure
is developed to guarantee hydrogen supplies in the future.
The interior is upholstered with natural
fibres (cotton and linen), woven coconut fibre and biodegradable elements,
while the exterior panelling is made of semi-transparent eco-resin and the
structure is treated with opaque ‘totouch’ paint.
It is all made even more interesting by the
minimisation of the energy absorbed by the auxiliary units on the vehicle and
engine (for example the low consumption climate control unit), by a reduction
in the vehicle’s weight (downsizing of the engine, the use of new generation,
high tensile steel, methane storage cylinders made of high performance steel
and carbon fibre) and the adoption of experimental Pirelli ‘ultra-green’ tyres
with new compounds and new AOF (Aromatic Oil Free) textile weaves which guarantee
limited drag but do not detract from dynamic safety performance (stopping
distances and good handling on wet and dry roads).
And finally, the Panda Aria is fitted with
a telematic system, based on the Blue&Me architecture, that is wired to
adapt to new infomobility services. It also incorporates original software
which allows the consumption and emissions of each trip to be recorded on a USB
pen drive, through the USB port of the Blue&Me system, so that the
customer’s driving style can later be analysed on a computer, and he can learn
how to make his driving more ‘eco-friendly’.
The innovative twin-cylinder engine
developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies is the outcome of a philosophy that
focused on reducing fuel consumption and, as a consequence, CO2 emissions, in
respect of future Euro 5 and Euro 6 emissions standard, with the same
performance as a large engine.
The concept behind this new engine is the
downsizing from a conventional 4-cylinder engine to a 2-cylinder turbocharged
engine that incorporates the innovative Multiair® electronic inlet valve
control system. In addition to advantages in terms of consumption, the
twin-cylinder engine also results in a 20% reduction in weight and 25% in
volume inside the engine bay compared to a 4-cylinder engine with the same
power output.
The maximum output achievable by the new
twin-cylinder engine, in the Mono Fuel petrol version is 105 bhp (a 65 bhp
aspirated version, also equipped with the Multiair® system, is now under
development). The SGE engine family adopts a crankshaft balancing system that
significantly reduces vibration and noise levels compared to other two and
three cylinder engines.
The innovative Multiair® system controls
the air in controlled-ignition petrol engines without the usual throttle valve,
and therefore with a greater degree of flexibility than mechanical timing
systems.
This electrohydraulic valve activation
technology is based on the insertion, between the camshaft and the engine inlet
valve, of an amount of oil (high pressure chamber) that can be varied by a
valve, which in turn is controlled by a specific electronic control unit.
This allows the raising profile of the
valve to be modified in response to the request for air from the engine and to
the running speed. Different strategies can be employed (Early inlet valve
closing – EIVC, Late inlet valve opening – LIVO, or Multi-Lift) to optimise
combustion efficiency, with considerable benefits in terms of power output,
torque, consumption and emissions. Another advantage of this system is the fact
that the air pressure upstream of the valves is always constant. This
characteristic, combined with the high system activation dynamics (from partial
load to full load in one engine cycle) allows the torque response of the engine
to be increased without any delay, on both an aspirated and a turbocharged
engine, increasing the ‘fun to drive’ factor.
The Panda Aria is equipped with the
‘Stop&Start’ system that turns the engine off temporarily and starts it
again, when the engine is idling and the vehicle is stationary: in this
situation, typical of congested town traffic and queues at red lights, and when
control logics allow it, the system automatically turns the engine off thus
saving a considerable amount of fuel (a 10% reduction in consumption in the
urban cycle). The instant the brake pedal is released or a gear is engaged, the
system immediately re-starts the engine, which responds promptly to the
driver’s demands.
The Stop&Start system combined with the
MTA gearbox ensures optimal management of gear changes, and excellent
mechanical efficiency. The automated transmission lays the foundations of the
‘intelligent’ management of the on/off status of the engine. By controlling the
clutch, the system allows the internal combustion engine to be cut off from the
transmission whenever traction is not needed and the engine can be turned off.
The combination of these solutions, which
have been developed by the Fiat Group (Fiat Group Automobiles, Fiat Powertrain
Technologies and Centro Ricerche Fiat), are already in existence or will soon
be available on regular and future production models, guaranteeing a drastic
reduction in emissions. For example, CO2 emissions on the Panda Aria concept
car have been cut to a record low of 69 g/km.
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