► Dacia’s Bi-Fuel powertrain explained
► Petrol and LPG all in one
► On sale now, priced at £400 more than petrol
Dacia is bringing LPG-capable versions of its models to the UK with its new ‘Bi-Fuel’ variant for the Duster, Sandero and Logan MCV.
Gone are the days of LPG conversions being done aftermarket, as Dacia boasts it’s the first in the UK to do it straight from the factory. Other car brands manufacture LPG versions of its cars in Europe already.
How has Dacia done it?
Loic Bouttier, Dacia’s chief engineer for LPG, explained to us that Dacia’s platforms and engines have been designed to run on LPG from the get-go. The latest TCe 100 petrol engine – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo – was designed from the ground up to run on both fuels. When running on petrol power, the engine has 99bhp and 118lb ft; using LPG power is boosted to 100bhp and 125lb ft.
The LPG filler is based behind the existing fuel cap alongside the petrol nozzle, which feeds into a 32-litre tank in the Sandero and Logan, or a 34-litre tank in the Duster. The tank is shaped like a tyre, and effectively replaces the spare tyre in its usual housing in the boot. There’s a switch and LPG level meter in the cockpit that allows you to change between LPG and petrol.
What about actually running one?
Dacia is claiming all sorts of benefits for its Bi-Fuel versions. It claims up to 620 miles of fuel range using both petrol and LPG cumulatively and it points out that LPG can be around 40 per cent cheaper than petrol, saving you money in the long run. LPG also burns cleaner than petrol does, resulting in lower CO2 when the fuel is being used – the Sandero is rated at 116g/km on LPG and 128g/km on petrol, for example.
Luke Broad, Dacia’s UK brand boss, also explained to us that all of Dacia’s dealer staff have been given extra training in how to educate buyers of the Bi-Fuel models, showing them how to switch between each fuel type and how to fuel the car at one of the 1200 fuel stations with LPG. The service intervals are also the same as the petrol models, as is the warranty.
How much?
Dacia says the Bi-Fuel models are £400 more expensive than a petrol model of the same specification.
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