Methane gas powered 'Dung Beetle' car spotted in Bristol

A VW Beetle powered by methane gas has been created by engineers from Wessex Water and has been cruising the streets of Bristol to promote eco friendly driving.

The 'Bio-Bug' or 'Dung-Beetle' as the media have dubbed it, is powered by processed methane gas from the sewerage treatment process. According to the BBC, waste from 70 households could power the car for up to 10,000 miles.

Methane cars have been produced in the past, but the Bio-Bug is the first model to have the same performance statistics as its petrol variant, reaching speeds of 114 mph. Achieving this level of performance from such a car means that the carbon dioxide content of the gas needs to be removed, with specialist equipment at the sewerage plant cleaning the waste to produce the raw methane itself.

If the gas runs out, luckily the Beetle reverts back to petrol from its 2 litre engine like many electric/petrol hybrid models.

If successful with the concept Bio-Bug, GENeco, the Wessex Water-owned company behind the car, hope to create a whole series of waste powered Beetle's. Whilst the company won't be proclaiming 'buy my car', car manufacturers could be inspired by the project.

Head of GENeco, Mohammed Saddiq, spoke to The Daily Mail about the unusually powered car, saying: ''Through the latest technology our Bio-Bug drives like any conventional car and what's more it uses sustainable fuel.''

''We thought it would be appropriate that the poo-powered car should be the classic VW Beetle because Bugs naturally breakdown waste at sewerage works to start the treatment process which goes on to produce the energy.''

Meanwhile, chairman of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, Lord Rupert Redesdale commented: ''This is a very exciting and forward-thinking project, demonstrating the myriad benefits of anaerobic digestion.'

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