Moving forward from the infamous diesel gate, and its hefty fine, Volkswagen has shifted focus to developing new engine technology and alternate powertrains for its future vehicles. The German giant has returned to the 38th Vienna Motor Symposium this year with new fuel-saving technology and electric mobility.
Firstly, the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which will debut in the new Golf TSI BlueMotion, gets a new 'Coasting - Engine off' micro hybrid system. This new technology lends the car ‘hybrid-style characteristics’, according to Volkswagen. Mated to a DQ200 DSG gearbox, the system can shut the engine off completely when the vehicle is ‘coasting’, at speeds of up to 130kmph. The lithium-ion battery is added to the vehicle’s 12-volt electrical architecture for powering the vehicle’s electronics when the car is coasting. A ‘Q-diode’ manages the electric supply between the lithium-ion and standard batteries in the car. The engine could be started back again with clever electrical wizardry either by the starter motor or via the DSG clutch or by a combination of both methods, depending on the driving condition. While in cruising mode, the engine will sip a mere 0.4litre/100km of fuel, according to Volkswagen.
The second engine that will debut is the 1.0-litre TGI producing 90bhp. The special characteristic of the 1.0-litre TGI is it can run on compressed natural gas (CNG). While in the gas-powered mode, it produces low emissions owing to ‘optimum conversion of methane in the exhaust gases’. This is done by bringing the catalytic converter quickly up to operating temperature with the use of a newly developed ‘lambda split’ process. In simple terms, when the 1.0-litre TGI engine is cold-started or under low loads, two cylinders are fired with a rich fuel mixture while one cylinder is ignited with a lean fuel mixture. Along with electric heating, the regulating function is taken up within ten seconds of a cold start, even if the exhaust system still contains a certain amount of condensation. This compact 1.0 TGI is a new engine specification for the small car class in the Volkswagen Group asserts the carmaker.
Lastly, Volkswagen will use the symposium platform to showcase the upgraded electric drivetrain of the e-Golf. In this upgrade, the new electric motor delivers 100kW of power and 290Nm of torque (15kW and 20Nm more than the current powertrain). The battery capacity has been expanded to 35.8kW from 24.2kW, thus increasing the range to 300km. The first vehicle with this new electric architecture will roll out in 2020. The I.D. family will highly benefit from this new platform.
Volkswagen intends to bury its diesel-gate emissions scandal for good with a model offensive of 30 or more all-electric vehicles by 2025. Even the manufacturers under the Volkswagen Group umbrella are mulling over the electrification of their line-up.
