AUTHORITIES in Gothenburg are taking on 200 dual-fuel vehicles for use by public service fleets. Part of the batch includes 20 Fiat Punto 'natural power' vehicles delivered to the Swedish local government by Fiat Auto importer Italienska Bil.

The vehicles, running on methane, were bought by Gatubolaget, a publicly-owned company managed by the Scandinavian city, which has handled public service fleets for the past 30 years. The addition to the Swedish public 'eco fleet' is in keeping with new environmental legislation that sets a target for environmentally friendly vehicles to make up 90% of public fleets by 2008.

The Swedish Government is committed to this objective and so far 53 methane fuel stations have been built, mainly in the south of the country, where 90% of the population and industry is concentrated.