Volvo’s Multi-fuel Car Run on 5 Different Fuels

The Volvo Multi-Fuel is a five-cylinder, 2.0 litergaseous fuel tanks are made of steel while the large
prototype car that runs on five different fuels namely:tank has a durable, gas tight aluminum liner, reinforced
hythane which is 10% hydrogen and 90% methane,with high performance carbon fiber composite and an
biomethane, natural gas (CNG), bioethanol E85 (85%exterior layer of hardened fiber-glass composite,
bioethanol and 15% petrol) and petrol. This concept caraccording to Morén.
was first introduced at the Michelin Challenge BibedumThe fuel tanks are placed under the luggage
2006 and considered to be the only one of its kind.compartment floor thus preserving the full loading
According to Mats Morén, Project leader Engine atcapacity of the Multi-Fuel car. The two fuel fillers are
Volvo Car Corporation, the whole car is equipped withused to fill up all five fuel types, one for gaseous and
top-of-the-line Volvo accessories designed for highone for liquid fuels. In order to switch between fuel
performance and perfect for driving on any of the fivetypes the driver would simply have to push a button.
different fuels. The Multi-Fuel is just as safe as all theThe Multi-Fuel car, its engine, tanks, transmission and
other Volvo vehicles plus it is exceptionally clean. Hethe fuel system is designed to function on the five
also said that the Multi-Fuel car is the first stepdifferent fuels. This means that it can be started
towards a hydrogen powered society.directly on gas which is said to be unique for this
Volvo Car Corporation believes that the road to thesystem. The Multi-Fuel is remarkably clean and meets
future is not one but many and no renewable fuel typethe emission standards for Euro 4 and the proposed
can alone replace the fossil fuels of today. And sincelevels for Euro 5. It also has an alternative catalyst
local conditions vary, different markets need enginessystem that is developed to meet the tough demands
for different alternative fuels coupled with cleaneron extremely low tailpipe emissions for PZEV/SULEV
conventional ones. These are the very sameon the US market.
considerations of Volvo Car Corporation when it hasThe vehicle has two catalysts, one close coupled to
developed the Multi-Fuel car. The main idea of thethe engine that lowers initial start emissions while the
Multi-Fuel car is to make use of the locally producedone under the floor reduces high-speed emissions. The
fuels thus reducing the need to import fuel from otherdouble catalysts and advanced engine control system
countries.lead to very low emissions. High temperature materials
The Multi-Fuel car is equipped with one large and twoin the exhaust and turbo allow extremely high exhaust
smaller tanks containing 98 liters of gaseous fuelsgas temperatures of up to 1050 °C. This enables the
(hythane, biomethane and CNG), and one 29 liter tankcar to run cleaner, accelerate quicker and operate
for liquid fuels (bioethanol E85 and petrol). The smallsmoother at higher speed.