Now, a biofuel-propelled car that can run at 84mph over snow and ice

London, September 1 : British sports car maker Lotus has unveiled a new model that runs on biofuel, and can do up to 84mph (135km/h) over snow and ice.

The Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) is a one-seater that has been installed with a supercharged motorbike engine, and can operate in temperatures as low as minus 72C (minus 98F).

The company has revealed that the new car has been designed for an expedition to the South Pole, organised by the explorers Andrew Moon and Andrew Regan.

Another purpose of this creation is to raise awareness of climate change and to demonstrate the efficiency of biofuel, say the makers.

The CIV weighs just 350kg (790lb), enabling the crew to pull it by hand over bumpy areas, and has radar to spot crevasses hidden under the ice.

Kieron Bradley, a former Formula One chassis designer who has built it, says that he has tested every component of the vehicle, which has been put together from microlight parts, in Lotus's cold chambers to test its ability to survive very low temperatures.

The E85 bioethanol fuel used in the vehicle can reduce emissions by about 70 per cent compared with ordinary petrol.

"If you can run biofuels successfully in the most harsh and extreme environment in the world, then there is no reason why you can't use them to get to the supermarket," Times Online quoted Regan as saying.

ANI