• UFI MULTITUBE moves into the A-segment of city cars
• Up to 50% cartridge weight reduction
• Lower emissions and fuel consumption

UFI MULTITUBE, the revolutionary engine air filtration technology developed by UFI Filters, has been chosen by one of the most popular city cars on the market: the?Hybrid Launch Edition?version of the?FIAT 500?that combines a naturally aspirated 3 cylinder Firefly GSE N3 engine with a 12 volt starter generator and a lithium battery.

The innovative product patented by UFI Filters Group, a leading company in filtration and thermal management technologies, was unveiled at Automechanika 2018 where it was also nominated for the Innovation Award.

UFI MULTITUBE first launched as Original Equipment on high-performing big cylinder engines such as the Porsche GT2RS. Today, the product’s amazing versatility and flexibility is included in the Fiat 500, an?A-segment car?that ranks as one of the most popular super-utility cars, with a high circulating volume.

One of the advantages of the MULTITUBE is its geometric flexibility. This gives it modularity and, together with its ad hoc design, allows it to adapt to the special needs of car manufacturers. It optimises the limited space available in the engine compartment and offers a wide range of possible developments for hybrid applications.

UFI MULTITUBE has been incorporated into the special version of the three-cylinder engine FIAT 500 Hybrid Launch Edition, the vehicle that opens up a path for alternative fuel vehicles at FCA. Due to its double tubular structure which replaces the traditional air panel, the revolutionary UFI air filter?has a cartridge that is up to 50% lighter. The two tubes on the MULTITUBE are placed in an airbox designed and manufactured by UFI. The airbox is made of polypropylene, a light, deformation-resistant material. The filter box has also been streamlined thanks to the MULTITUBE system, which?makes the module 30% lighter; resulting in?lower fuel consumption and less CO2 emissions.

UFI MULTITUBE’s revolutionary flow is also the result of the improved fluid dynamics in the air flow to the engine. This minimises resistance as well as pressure and energy loss, with a consequent increase in supply of power to the engine.

The special cartridge coupling system also attaches the cartridge firmly to the filter box, simplifying service operations and preventing the entry of dirty air into the engine, thereby guaranteeing an additional level of protection.

The filter medium is engineered by UFI Filters thanks to its experience and know-how in the development of new materials. UFI MULTITUBE consists of a?rigid, non-woven filter media with synthetic hydrophobic fibres, structured according to a specific distribution gradient of diameter and porosity, which keep their full functionality constant throughout the product’s entire life cycle. A traditional panel made of pleated cellulose that absorbs humidity, on the other hand, significantly reduces its filtering capacity due to deformation of the materials, resulting in a negative impact on engine power.

Improved flexibility, better fluid dynamics and less weight; together with increased filtering performance, are the factors that make MULTITUBE a cutting-edge product. The innovative air filter guarantees?filtering efficiency over 99.5%. Equivalent performance levels are also delivered to the FCA Group application.

“We are proud to have taken a big step forward in our long-lasting partnership with the FCA Group”, says?Luca Betti, Business Unit Aftermarket Director?for the UFI Filters Group. “Using the UFI MULTITUBE on a hybrid vehicle confirms that it is a versatile product which adapts to the needs of environmentally friendly engines by reducing emissions. Its use in an A segment car paves the way to wider use of the product on the market. This will have a positive impact, not only on the Original Equipment, but also on the Aftermarket sector, which will benefit from the uniqueness of a patented product and exclusive quality and performance.”