One of the biggest themes in the vibrant halls of the Frankfurt Motor Show this week concentrated on environmentally friendly cars, with a host of innovations and concepts from most of the major manufacturers. Fiat, a brand which is continuously developing low-impact vehicles, launched the Panda Aria concept car, a design which harnesses existing and soon-to-be industrialised technology.

The Panda Aria was probably the most important development from Fiat at the motor show, a significant that was not lost, and carefully alluded to, by brand CEO Luca De Meo during the press conference on Tuesday. In fact as green issues are quite simply dominating this show, the new FPT-built SGE 900cc bi-cylinder engine, which was being shown in public for the first time in the Panda Aria, was one of the most significant new technological arrivals at the IAA this week.

"The Panda on the platform is a collection of simple and available technologies such as stop-and-start, MTA [gearbox] and Mutiair technology," said De Meo, in reference to the Aria, during his press conference. "And thanks to the 900cc direct injection turbocharged engine mounted in it this car can use 69 kgms of CO2 per kilometre. The bi-cylinder engine is the big news of the show, from 2010 to the end of the next decade it will power every fiat model on our new small platform,” he added.

The Panda Aria can be separated into two main concepts. The first is concentrated on the drivetrain, which is represented by the new SGE 900 cc Turbo twin-cylinder engine. This small and modular engine produces 80 bhp, and is equipped with the Multiair electronic inlet valve control system for dual petrol/methane-hydrogen fuel management. This management is already designed to operate with a mixture of 70% methane and 30% hydrogen.  The Panda Aria’s engine was developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies in order to comply with Euro 5 and 6 homologation, with at the same time providing performance and comfort levels comparable to a larger capacity engine. What is more the SGE engine reduces weight of a conventional 4-cylinder engine of similar performance by 20%, as well as decreasing volume by 25%. In order to reduce noise and vibration typical to 2- and 3-cylinder engines, the SGE unit introduces a new balanced crankshaft design.

The Aria’s drivetrain also includes a semi-automatic gearbox and a Stop&Start device. The latter automatically stops the engine when stationary, for instance whilst waiting at a traffic light.
 

The system restarts the car instantly once a gear is engaged, or if the brake pedal is released. This feature alone cuts a considerable 10% in fuel consumption during the urban cycle.

The second significant concept of the Aria is found in the design of its bodywork and interior. From a glance the Aria could be a run-of-the-mill Panda, however the car uses eco-compatible materials on both the inside and outside. These materials are either recycled, recyclable or of natural origin. For instance, the interior is upholstered with cotton and linen, woven coconut fibre and biodegradable elements. On the exterior the panelling is crafted from semi-transparent eco-resin, with the structure being treated with opaque ‘totouch’ paint. The result is not only effective ecologically, but it also provides a light and harm-free feel.

However the list of ecological innovations on the Panda Aria concept car does not stop here. The car is also a showcase for other features such as a low consumption climate control unit, weight reduction through use of new high-tensile steel and carbon fibre, as well as the adoption of prototype Pirelli ‘ultra-green’ tyres. These tyres provide limited drag through the use of new compounds and new AOF (Aromatic Oil Free) textile weaves. The decreased rolling resistance, however, does not detract from dynamic safety.

To top the concept off, the Panda Aria presents an evolution of the Blue&Me telematic system, including software which records the cars consumption and emissions on a removable USB pen drive in order for drivers to examine and improve their eco-friendly driving style. The solutions presented on the Fiat Panda Aria, which were developed by the Fiat Group, are already in existence or will soon be available on production models in Fiat showrooms. The application of this technology on the Aria concept car has reduced the CO2 emissions to a record low of 69 g/km.