Customers in Brazil can now order their Fiat Pulse or Fastback with a hybrid powertrain running on ethanol.
Both cars come equipped with a 1.0-liter turbo three-cylinder engine rated at 130 PS (128 hp / 96 kW) and a tiny 12V starter-generator supplying another 4 PS (4 hp / 3 kW). The hybrid system makes use of two batteries – a very basic lead-acid block under the hood and a smaller lithium-ion block under the driver’s seat. The former delivers a solid 68 Ampere-hours of electricity, and the latter supplies another 11 Ah.
A continuously variable transmission carries the torque to the front wheels. Fiat claims that this mild-hybrid setup allows owners to save 10.7–11.5 percent on ethanol fuel compared to the non-electrified versions.