Kia’s Hamstar ad campaign for their Soul cute-ute featured a trio of hamsters dancing and driving tothe lyrics “You can get with this/or You can get with that”, and was so wildly successful that the company recently introduced a Hamstar-edition Soul … but they got it all wrong. The Kia that best embodies Black Sheep‘s “The Choice is Yours” (the song from the commercial) is Kia’s new Picanto Bi-fuel compact.
Why? Because Kia’s new Picanto Bi-fuel lets drivers choose, on the fly, whether they want to fill up with gasoline or liquid propane gas (LPG).
SO, for those of you that love the idea of a propane-powered car, but worry about finding filling stations on in a pinch? Fill up with the dino-juice. Gas hit $5.40 a gallon in your neck of the woods already? Head on over to Hank Hill’s place.
That, dear friends, is hedging your bets on the future of fuels with right-now, minimal-commitment, USDA Prime CHOICE.
According to Kia, the little Bi-Fuel gas/propane “hybrid” Picanto can travel over 370 miles on a full serving of LPG, and over 100 miles in its “range-extending” gasoline mode. Interestingly, Kia says the Picanto’s engine fires initially on gasoline, but switches over to LPG after a few seconds (something about heating up the catalysts to meet Europe’s super-strict emissions laws), so you’re “more” free from oil, rather than “totally” free, but still: there’s some very cool tech at play in this little Kia, and no reason something similar can’t make it stateside …
… hear that, Kia? Bring the Bi-fuel!
Thanks for listening.
PS – check out the Hamstar commercial mentioned earlier, below. (You’ll like it.)
Source: Kia, via Motorpasion.
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About Jo Borras
This is not new. Merzedes produced a bi fuel car 10 – 15 years ago. I think BMW did also.
It is however good to have an alternative:-)
Ford has been selling dual fuel Falcons in Australia for over 10 years…
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/02/bifuel_benz_mer.html
^ those were CNG cars from MB and BMW, as far as I was aware … and I’m not sure either of those meets the new Euro 6 standard?
Hi Jo,I’m pretty sure it was LPG, but I cannot find it now. It does not matter. The important thing is, that people have an alternative.
In my country – it is in Europe, Bulgaria is the name, many people drive LPG – converted cars. And it is absolutely road legal. My Citroen can be driven on LPG and gasoline fuel. But LPG is actually much cheaper and less polutant. LPG became so widespread in my country, that we actually have LPG pumps on almost every gas station(Let’s say ~ 97% of the gas stations sell LPG).
This is what I mean – it’s good to have an alternative.
Great article, Jo! Bi-fuel LPG + gas is an amazing combination: lower maintenance cost, lower operating cost, two fuel buying options to make up for price and supply fluctuations, extended driving range, cut dependence on foreign oil and super low emissions.
The only problem in the US is making this fuel available to the driving public. There’s plenty of LPG around, but it will take a big oil company to realize the distribution opportunity. I’m ready to buy.
PS – I was skeptical about the “Hamster” name…until I saw the commercial. Hamsters are awesome. (-;
The Hamstars make the car.
Too bad that even some in the propane industry do not understand the difference between bi-fuel and dual fuel. This car is not bi-fuel, it is dual fuel. This means it only runs on one fuel at a time, not both at the same time which is bi0fuel. Bi-fuel is where a diesel engine, would operate on diesel and then at some point when running have a certain percentage of propane or natural gas mixed in to the combustion chamber. This bi-fuel setup is often used on electric gensets to make electric power. The max for the alternate fuel, such as CNG or natgas is about 70 percent with the remainder 30% diesel fuel. The engine can run straight diesel when started up to get it warmed up, then the diesel fuel is leaned out to allow more cleaner CNG which reduces emissions and total cost of fuel. There are no cars, trucks or buses running with gasoline engines that are bi-fuel even if the local propane guy uses that term. They are either straight propane or dual fuel. Propane contains 18 percent hydrogen while CNG only contains one percent which is why you travel significantly farther on LPG than CNG. LPG is 99 octane for grade 10 and 104.5 octane for grade 5 or HD-5.
Well put, but keep in mind: they are actually calling the car “Bifuel”.