The interest in the alternative fuels It is not something new in the automotive sector. Although there is now much more attention paid to electrification and emissions control, alternative routes to traditional gasoline and diesel have been explored for decades. So much so that in 1979 the first series model powered by ethanol appeared. It was the Fiat 147 Cachacinhaa project that was conceived in Brazil and that laid the first stone in the issue of incorporating alternative fuels in the range.
He ethanol It is a fuel obtained from the fermentation of sugars. It is usually mixed with gasoline and the main advantage is that it partially replaces other petroleum derivatives. It was 45 years ago when the brand was concerned about making a less polluting version with the mythical 147 as a container for this experiment. Brazil was the ideal place to carry it out due to its ProÁlcool program (National Alcohol Program) in 1975 with incentives for the production of ethanol from sugar cane, as a result of the oil crisis.
Fiat participated with a 147 ethanol-powered model that was still a prototype, but was so surprising that They decided to take it to production. It went through a fairly intensive development phase, including a 12-day, 6,800-kilometre trip across the country. At over 500 kilometres a day, over a variety of terrains and in high temperatures, it proved it was ready to go on sale. It did so in July 1979 and quickly proved that it was what people needed at that time of crisis and high gasoline prices.
The 1.3-litre petrol engine is They made some modifications The compression ratio was increased to 7.5:1 and the carburettor started to work with a much richer air-fuel mixture. This made consumption higher, but refueling with ethanol was still worth it. The power remained at 62 hp and it proved to be a very useful vehicle. Between 1979 and 1987, the They sold 120,516 units of the Fiat 147 Cachacinha. This nickname was given to it because of the smell that came from the exhaust, which was reminiscent of sugar cane liquor.
