Bi-fuel vehicle

For other types of vehicles, see Alternative fuel vehicle and Flexible-fuel vehicle.
The Brazilian Fiat Siena Tetrafuel 1.4 is the first bi-fuel car that runs on natural gas (CNG) alternating automatically with any of the typical fuel blends used in flexible-fuel vehicles, pure gasoline, or gasohol E25, or just ethanol (E100). Shown below are the CNG storage tanks in the trunk.

Bi-fuel vehicles are vehicles with multifuel engines capable of running on two fuels. The two fuels are stored in separate tanks and the engine runs on one fuel at a time. On internal combustion engines, a bi-fuel engine typically burns gasoline and a volatile alternate fuel such as natural gas (CNG), LPG, or hydrogen.[1] Bi-fuel vehicles switch between gasoline and the other fuel, manually or automatically.[2][3][4][5] A related concept is the dual-fuel vehicle which must burn both fuels in combination. Diesel engines converted to use gaseous fuels fall into this class due to the different ignition system.

The most common technology and alternate fuel available in the market for bi-fuel gasoline cars is Autogas (LPG), followed by natural gas (CNG),[6] and it is used mainly in Europe. Poland, the Netherlands, and the Baltic states have many cars running with LPG. Italy currently has the largest number of CNG vehicles, followed by Sweden. They are also used in South America, where these vehicles are mainly used as taxicabs in main cities of Brazil and Argentina. Normally, standard gasoline vehicles are retrofitted in specialized shops, which install the gas cylinder in the trunk and the LPG or CNG injection system and electronics. The conversion is possible because the gases can use the spark-ignition of a gasoline engine.[7]

  1. ^ Diane Nassy. "Flexible Fuel Vehicles". Motopoint. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  2. ^ "Glossary" (PDF). Biofuel Marketplace Project. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2014-12-21. See Glossary for definition of Bi-fuel Vehicle
  3. ^ Dominik Rutz and Rainer Jansen (February 2007). "BioFuel Technology Handbook" (PDF). WIP Renewable Energies. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-01. See definition in Glossary and Abbreviations
  4. ^ "Definition of Terms". Sustainable Green Fleets. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  5. ^ "Glossary". Biofuel Marketplace. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-01. See definition of FFV
  6. ^ Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center. "Natural Gas Vehicles". US Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 1 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  7. ^ "Alternative Fuels Data Center: How Do Bi-fuel Natural Gas Vehicles Work?". afdc.energy.gov.