New Golf Variant TGI natural gas model now available to order

Volkswagen’s #natural #gas strategy continues to gain ground: only recently available to order, the Polo #tgi and #golf #tgi are now joined by the #golf #variant TGI1) with eco-friendly #natural #gas engine. The #new model now boasts three #natural #gas tanks – instead of just two as before – once again increasing the already long range of the CNG drives. And there’s no need to compromise on space either to accommodate the three tanks on-board, as the #natural #gas tanks are integrated as a space-saving underfloor solution. At the same time, the additional tank increases the range in #natural #gas mode by up to 80 kilometres compared to its predecessor. You’ll now also reach your destination faster, as the bonnet conceals an overhauled, powerful 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 96 kW (130 hp). This engine is primarily powered with compressed #natural #gas (CNG) – the petrol tank is smaller as a result and thus only serves as a backup.

Thanks to the #tgi Miller combustion process and the variable turbine geometry (VTG) of the turbocharger, the #golf #variant TGI’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is even more efficient and responsive than its predecessor. It delivers 96 kW (130 PS) and boasts a torque of 200 newton metres. With the petrol tank reduced in size to 9 litres (for a #golf #variant #tgi, that corresponds to a range of approximately 200 kilometres) and now serving merely as a backup, this is referred to as a quasi-monovalent drive concept. In other words, the range with #natural #gas alone has increased by around 80 kilometres, enabling routes of up to 440 kilometres (based on WLTP) with #natural #gas alone.

The three #natural #gas tanks have a combined volume of 115 litres, which corresponds to a total weight of 18.3 kilograms. The tanks are made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) or from metal.

The CO2 emissions of a #natural #gas vehicle are much lower than those of a comparable vehicle with a conventional engine, as combustion of compressed #natural #gas (CNG) releases around 25 per cent less CO2 than combustion of petrol. The reason for this is the low percentage of carbon in #natural #gas. Thanks in part to the innovative lambda split process, #natural #gas also burns extremely cleanly: the exhaust contains much less carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide (NOX), resulting in minimal soot and fine dust. If you fill up your vehicle with biomethane or e-gas, you can minimise your emissions even further, as biomethane is derived from residual plant matter, and e-gas from excess #green energy (power to gas). Both can be added to fuels or are available as pure biofuels.

Driving with #natural #gas is also comparably cheaper in just about all countries. In Germany, #natural #gas is around 20 per cent cheaper than diesel and as much as 40 per cent cheaper than petrol. And that’s despite the fact that #natural #gas contains much more energy. For comparison: one kilogram of CNG corresponds to around 1.3 litres of diesel or 1.5 litres of petrol.

In Germany, the number of #natural #gas vehicles is expected to reach one million by 2025, with some 100,000 #natural #gas vehicles already registered. For this to work, the product portfolio needs to be expanded and the network of filling stations in Europe increased to 2,000 – also by 2025.

In addition to the eco up!5 and #tgi models of the Polo3, Golf4, #golf Variant2 the #volkswagen Group also already offers an extensive range of 14 CNG vehicles.