It's the car that brings a whole new meaning to the term "dunger" - a Volkswagen Beetle that runs on human excrement.
A British eco company, Geneco, has unveiled a "poo-powered" Beetle Cabriolet dubbed the Bio Bug, claiming the vehicle's bio-gas demonstrated a credible alternative fuel of the future.
The Bio Bug runs on methane gas generated from a UK sewage treatment plant owned by Geneco's parent company, Wessex Water.
Geneco says it uses a special process to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the biogas, claiming it not only reduces exhaust emissions significantly but also maintains vehicle performance and reliability.
"If you were to drive the car you wouldn't know it was powered by biogas as it performs just like any conventional car. It is probably the most sustainable car around," said Geneco's general manager, Mohammed Saddiq.
Wessex Water says waste flushed down the toilets of 70 houses would be enough to power the Bio Bug for about 16,000 kilometres - more than the average annual mileage in Australia.
The company also claims that if all the biogas produced at its sewage treatment plant was converted to run motor vehicles it would save 19,000 tonnes of CO2.
Geneco says it has already been producing biogas to generate electricity for both its plant and the UK's national grid.
By Jez Spinks
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