Dacia Duster Gains TCe 100 Eco-G Three-Cylinder Running On Gasoline And LPG

Dacia has presented a new bi-fuel gasoline and LPG engine at the Brussels Motor Show.

Debuting on the Duster SUV, the new TCe 100 Eco-G power plant will soon be available on other models including the Sandero, Sandero Stepway, Logan and Logan MCV. This new engine is essentially the bi-fuel version of the TCe 100 turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine introduced by Dacia last year.

Mind you, the Eco-G version delivers more torque while reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. More specifically, the peak torque gains 10 Nm (7 lb-ft) for a total of 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) at 2,000 rpm, while CO2 emissions are reduced by around 10 percent.

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As for fuel economy, while the average consumption of an LPG engine is slightly higher, the overall fuel cost per kilometer is reduced by up to 30 percent compared to a gasoline engine and up to 8 percent compared to a diesel engine.

Obviously, the vehicle can run on either petrol or LPG, as it’s equipped with separate tanks for each fuel. The driver can switch from petrol to LPG (or the other way round) via a dedicated switch located in the passenger compartment. When the LPG tank is empty, the system switches automatically to petrol.

The additional LPG tank is made of high-strength steel and is located at the spare wheel, which means the cargo volume does not take a hit. With both tanks full, the Duster TCe 100 Eco-G is said to offer a driving range of more than 1,000 km (621 miles).

Unlike most LPG-prepped vehicles, Dacia says its Eco-G models can access underground car parks thanks to the safety features built into the system. Those include a safety valve, non-return valve, a filling level limited to 80 percent, a flow limiter and a solenoid valve. Furthermore, the Eco-G vehicles are not affected by traffic restrictions in the event of pollution peaks.

The new TCe 100 Eco-G power plant debuts in France in January 2020 with a starting price of €12,490 ($13,905) on the Duster – the same price as the equivalent petrol-powered model.