On Friday, KIA introduced its flagship SUV, the Sorento, in the Indian market and showcased several other models. During this event, the Kia Carens Clavis CNG and Carnival Hybrid were also presented.
Furthermore, KIA displayed the concept of its first flexible fuel vehicle in the country. The Syros was chosen as the model for this project. Currently, the company has only revealed the Syros Flex Fuel concept, and there is no information available regarding the release timeline for this car.
The flexible fuel vehicle is capable of running on various types of fuel: pure gasoline, pure ethanol, and any mixtures thereof. KIA has not yet provided data on the production version of the Syros Flex Fuel (Syros FFV), so for now, it should be considered only as a technological demonstrator.
The Syros Flex Fuel is equipped with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. The company has not disclosed the power and torque figures of this engine. The ECU, TCU, and fuel system have been updated to ensure the engine operates on different types of fuels.
The vehicle features a different transmission compared to the standard turbocharged gasoline Syros. While standard models are equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the flexible fuel version uses a six-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter. These changes enable the car to run on different types of fuels.
KIA is not the only company working on flexible fuel vehicles; other companies are also involved in this process. Maruti Suzuki has released the WagonR Flex Fuel model, and Tata Motors and Mahindra are preparing to introduce their counterparts, although their launch timelines are currently unknown.