A Fiat Panda powered by biomethane from wastewater? Yes, and it also cuts fuel consumption by half

Who would have said just a few years ago that a vehicle could run on fuel produced from wastewater? Had anyone proposed this, they would have been told to stop watching Back to the Future. Yet today we are talking about a reality that, if forecasts are correct, could become a more effective fuel solution than electricity or hydrogen.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of this fuel, the FCA group has decided to carry out a test lasting several months and covering 80,000 km with a Fiat Panda powered by biomethane extracted from wastewater. Using this fuel will help achieve a 97% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with a conventional combustion model.

The study begins today in Turin with the handover of a Fiat Panda Natural Power to Gruppo CAP, a company that manages the water, sewerage and purification systems of the city of Milan. While the test runs, FCA’s research centre (CRF) will subject the vehicle to detailed checks to assess whether the biomethane produced by Gruppo CAP has any particular effects on the engine.

The Panda Natural Power is fitted with a 0.9-litre TwinAir two-cylinder engine producing 80 CVThis experiment will make it possible to diversify the sources of biomethane. The Panda Natural Power used in this test is equipped with the TwinAir two-cylinder engine of 900 cc³ capable of delivering 80 CV when running on natural gas.

Based on this study, Gruppo CAP is betting in the short term on opening in Milan the first zero-kilometre biomethane distributor. It is estimated that the Bresso treatment plant alone could produce around 342,000 kilograms of biomethane, enough for 416 vehicles to each cover 20,000 km a year.

Biomethane is a gas with the same characteristics as methane but produced from renewable sources. The existing refuelling infrastructure is fully suitable for using this fuel. According to FCA, Gruppo CAP’s biomethane allows fuel consumption to be reduced by up to 56% compared with petrol and by up to 30% compared with diesel.

But beyond the economic aspect, the ecological impact of this fuel stands out. Methane is already the cleanest fuel available today. It has minimal harmful emissions: fewer particulates, reduced to practically zero, and fewer nitrogen oxides and more reactive hydrocarbons, which cause the formation of other pollutants.