There is an ever grwoingdeman for small cars in Europe, which is a market Kia hopes to corner with the release of the Picanto LPG.

This is a bi-fuel model that also delivers on the need for lower emissions and cheaper running costs that Europeans like.

The Picanto will deliver on all counts when it is released in Europe near the end of the year. For now, consumers can see it on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

The new variant will record fuel economy in LPG mode of 5.8l / 100km and CO₂ emissions of 100g/km – with automatic stop-start (ISG) equipped models achieving 5.6l / 100km and 97g/km.

The all-new Kia Picanto LPG will come in a pair of eqipment levels and body styles.

Customers can choose from the 3-door or 5-door variants, just as they can with others in the Picanto lineup.

Picanto’s The Only LPG-Powered Vehicle With 7-Year Warranty

Kia believes the new model will account for 7% of all Picanto sales when it is made available later this year. It will be the only LPG powered vehicle anywhere in the world that comes with a 7-year warranty.

The first countries to take delivery of the Picanto LPG will be Germany, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Engine Specifications, Horsepower Ratings

Under the hood of the Picanto LPG will be Kia’s three-cylinder 1.0-litre Kappa engine which produces 67-horsepower and 90Nm of torque.

There is an additional fuel system added that allows LPG to be processed to the engine. The fuel system that does this is fitted with a solenoid valve that turns the liquid LPG into gas to power the car.

There are a pair of fuel tanks found in the Picanto LPG, starting with a traditional 35-liter petrol tank fitted in the standard engine position ahead of the rear axle.

There will also be a 27-liter pressurized LPG tank in the spot where the spare wheel used to be stored. Boot capacity comes in at a very nice 152 liters.

Switching from petrol to LPG, and back again, is as simple as pushing a button on the dashboard.

The remainder of the interior remains pretty much the as the rest of the Picanto family. The one other exception is the addition of a dual fuel guage that shows levels on both the petrol and LPG tanks.

The addition of the extra tank and other LPG equipment adds 51 kg to the weight of the car.

Despite that extra weight, the brisk acceleration of the car is maintained by lowering the final drive ratio.

The new LPG-powered Picanto comes with a top speed of 95mph, which is the same as the standard 1,0L petrol model.

There is a growing demand for small cars that are cheap to run, which is why Kia is introducing the bi-fuel Picanto LPG at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Picanto LPG will feature a 3-cylinder 1,0L engine under the hood, producing 49kW (67ps) and 90 Nm of torque.

This will allow this version of the Picanto to be even cheaper to run and maintain than the gasoline models.

Idle, Stop & Go To Be Available

While the car is in LPG mode, fuel economy will come in at 5.8 l / 100 km, whilst emissions will be lowered to 100g/km.

Models equipped with the Idle Stop and Go (ISG) technology will deliver 5.6 l / 100 km and 97 g/km.

The Picanto LPG will come with a pair of fuel tanks, including a 35-gallon tank located in the regular position ahead of the rear axle.

The second tank will be a 37-liter pressurized LPG version that will take up a normally reserved for a spare tire.

A simple push of a button on the dashboard will allow drivers to switch between normal and LPG mode.

The additional tank will add 51kg to the overall weight of the car, which means a little tinkering was required to maintain brisk acceleration.

This was achieved by lowering the drive ratio by 8.6%, allowing acceleration to remain at 0-100 kph in 14.5 seconds.

The top speed of 150 kph remains the same as the gasoline model.

There have also been some small tweaks made to the powertrain, but overall, the car remains incredibly similar to what made the Kia Picanto city car so popular in the first place.

The car has delivered sales in excess of 50,000 since its release.

To kick things off, the bi-fuel Picanto LPG will be available to customers in Germany, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal and the Netherlands, with expectations being that it will account for about 7% of all Picanto sales.

When it is released, the Picanto LPG will be the only car of its kind that comes with a 7-Year, 150,000 km warranty.

Related Kia News (Frankfurt Motor Show)

Euro-market Kia Soul will go on sale in spring 2014. The model will be offered with the carmaker’s 1,6L GDI gasoline and 1,6L CRDI diesel engines. There will be 11 colors available, including a red-black color combination.