Seat is expanding the Mii family with the introduction of the new Seat Mii Ecofuel – the company’s lowest-emitting production car ever. The Mii Ecofuel runs on compressed natural gas (CNG).
The first model with a CNG engine to wear a SEAT badge, and making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show 2013 (4-6 March), the Mii Ecofuel boasts average consumption of just 2.9 kg CNG/100 km. And because the fuel price over this distance is less than 3 Euros (approximately £2.60) in many countries, the running costs are approximately half those of a Mii with a petrol engine.
The 1.0-litre, 68 PS engine is based on the three-cylinder petrol unit found in the Mii (with 60 hp and 75 hp outputs), but it’s been specifically developed for CNG operation. Its CO2 figure of just 79 g/km is best-in-class.
Despite being specifically engineered to run on CNG, the Mii Ecofuel engine can also run on unleaded petrol. With a full CNG tank (11 kg), the Mii Ecofuel has a range of up to 240 miles; the reserve petrol tank (10l) extends the range by up to 140 miles. This means that, with a full tank, a total range of up to 380 miles is possible.
A special fuel level indicator in the instrument panel informs the driver of the level in both the gas and the petrol tank. The ranges available in both operating modes are also shown in the multi-function display.
The only difference between this and the petrol models is the absence of a spare wheel well. The connector for filling up the Seat Mii Ecofuel at any one of the increasing number of CNG fuel stations across Europe is located beneath the same flap as the petrol cap.
Initially, Seat will introduce the Mii Ecofuel in markets such as Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the Czech Republic where there is a clear demand for CNG fuelled cars and the infrastructure to support it.
