Citron Strengthens C4's Environmental Credentials

Citron Strengthens C4's Environmental Credentials

Citron already offers a remarkably environmentally friendly range, with its particulate filter equipped diesels, no less than 23 versions set to avoid London's congestion charge thanks to their low emissions, the C4 HDi being the most economical conventional car on the Australian market and with diesel hybrid models waiting in the wings.

This environmentally friendly reputation will be strengthened at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September with the launch of the Citron C4 BioFlex, the French car maker's first FlexFuel vehicle in Europe, capable of running on petrol/bio ethanol blends of up to 85 per cent. The C4 BioFlex contributes to greenhouse gas reduction by cutting CO2 emissions by five per cent over the combined cycle and also reduces fossil-fuel dependency by using renewable energy. From field to wheel, emissions are reduced by up to 40 per cent.

Although the C4 BioFlex is Citron's first flex fuel car in Europe, Citron is enjoying remarkable success with this technology in South America, which 65 per cent of Citron sales in 2006 were flex fuel and this has risen to 80 per cent in the first half of 2007. Initially the C4 FlexFuel will be offered in Sweden and France, where more than 500 fuel stations will be equipped to sell E85 Biofuel by the end of the year.

"Combined with the existing range of diesel Citroens and the company's commitment to launch hybrid models, the C4 BioFlex is further evidence of Citron's commitment to reduce emissions," says Lawrie Malatios, the General Manager for Citron in New Zealand. "The arrival of this new variant in New Zealand depends on the local availability of fuel and its price, but there can be no doubt that when it becomes available in right hand drive we will closely examine its suitability for the local market."

C4 BioFlex: an excellent environmental scorecard
Bioethanol is an alcohol produced by fermentation of sugar from plants such as beetroot or starch from cereals such as wheat and corn.
The use of bioethanol has several environmental advantages:
• Unlike fossil fuels, the greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) produced by cars running on biofuels are to a large extent absorbed by the growth of plants used to produce bioethanol. This process of absorption also concerns the CO2 emitted by other sources. From field to wheel, emissions are reduced by up to 40 per cent.
• Because this type of biofuel contains oxygen, it also helps reduce other pollutants, particularly carbon monoxide (CO). E85 fuel is also sulphur-free.
• Lastly, unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are renewable.
The C4 BioFlex thus provides a cycle of reducing and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions.

C4 BioFlex: an impressive economic scorecard
The economic scorecard of biofuel vehicles varies according to country and tax policy.
At about €0.80 per litre, compared to €1.32 per litre for normal unleaded, current E85 prices in France make the C4 BioFlex particularly competitive. In addition, biofuel use is encouraged by certain tax systems in European markets:
• 50 per cent or total exemption - depending on the region - from the pro-rata tax on car registration fees,
Exemption from the tax on company vehicles for 2 years,
Exceptional amortisation of company cars over a period of 12 months, instead of 5 years,
80 per cent recovery of VAT/GST on fuel.
Government promotion of the fuel means that E85 is already widely used in Sweden. The country has 650 E85 fuel pumps and more than 13 per cent of vehicles sold in 2006 were Flexfuel models.
Numerous fiscal incentives (tax, tolls and parking) favour the use of biofuel.
Over a combined cycle, the C4 BioFlex consumes 9.8 l/100 km and emits 160 g of CO2 per km, compared with 7.1 l/100 km and 169 g of CO2 per km for the standard 1.6i 16V model.
Although the C4 BioFlex consumes more fuel, it is considerably cheaper to run. In France, it costs 7.84 Euro cents per kilometre, with E85 fuel at €0.80 a litre, compared with the conventional model's 9.23 Euro cents per kilometre, with SP95 petrol at €1.30 a litre.

C4 BioFlex: technological advance for real results
The C4 BioFlex powertrain was designed and developed to run on normal unleaded fuel (RON 95 or 98), on bioethanol with up to 85 per cent ethanol content (E85), and on a mix of the two containing between zero and 85 per cent ethanol.

Developing the C4 BioFlex required work in two key areas. First, all components and parts had to tolerate contact with ethanol. Second, the engine had to function optimally regardless of the proportion of alcohol in the fuel.

Imported from Brazil, the engine features several modifications already applied to engines used locally, mainly concerning parts that come into contact with the fuel, such as rings and valve seats.

Changes were also made to the fuel circulation system, involving the tank, fuel gauge and pump module, pipes and fuel filter.

Finally, the engine software has been adapted to include new settings that adjust automatically to the alcohol content in the fuel. Each time the tank is filled, an analysis is made of alcohol content in order to select the best operating curve. During the analysis, the engine functions with "protection" settings compatible with all authorised fuel blends containing between 0 and 85 per cent ethanol content.

Performance has been boosted in E85 mode, with maximum power of 82 kW compared with 80 kW both at 5,800 rpm - for a 2.5 per cent improvement - and maximum engine torque of 153 Nm (up from 147 Nm), still at 4,000 rpm, for a 4 per cent improvement.

Running on standard unleaded fuel (SP95), the engine performs practically identically to the 1.6i 16V version.

When the engine adapts for different fuel blends, these changes are totally transparent for the driver, requiring no changes to driving style or driver input from behind the wheel.

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