Volkswagen will be enhancing its model range with the introduction of what it says is currently the world’s most cutting-edge Natural Gas drive, announced at the Vienna Motor Symposium (26 to 27 April). The technology meets the CO2 fleet emissions target of 95 g/km prescribed in the EU as of 2020.

The new 1.5 TGI Evo direct injection natural gas engine, fitted with VTG forced induction (latest-generation turbochargers with variable turbine geometry), is based on the 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion1/2/3/4 engine. Like its counterpart, the equally powerful natural gas engine, at 96 kW/130 hp, uses the efficient TSI/TGI Miller combustion process.

For Volkswagen, the new 1.5 TGI Evo is a lynchpin in its natural gas campaign. Its stated objective: further increasing the volume of natural gas engines operating efficiently and largely without generating particle emissions. On the German market, natural gas engines already represent the drive type with the strongest growth. Moreover, the TGI petrol engines can be run on e-gas – renewable CNG based on methane obtained from wind, solar, hydropower or biomass power generation processes.

Production of the 1.5 TGI Evo engine will start this year. With an estimated average consumption of 3.5 kg/100 km (CNG) in the current Golf featuring dual clutch gearbox (DSG), the agile turbocharged engine will be as efficient as it will be cost-effective to run. This results in a range of 490 km in CNG mode. Thanks to the automatic switch to petrol mode, the range is extended by an additional 190 km (all data has been calculated on the basis of the NEDC cycle – see notes below). In addition to its efficiency, the engine offers dynamic performance and torque vales: 200 Nm of torque are already available at 1,400 rpm (up to 4,500 rpm).

The above-stated consumption and emission values as well as range and performance information are forecast values as at April 2018. The vehicle is not yet on sale and is consequently not subject to Directive 1999/94 EC.

NEDC Cycle Notes

¹NEDC: Golf 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion (96 kW / 130 PS) – fuel consumption in l/100 km: urban 6.2 / extra-urban 4.0 / combined 4.8. CO₂ emissions in g/km: 110. Efficiency class: B.
²NEDC: Golf 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion DSG (96 kW / 130 PS) – fuel consumption in l/100 km: urban 6.1 / extra-urban 4.1 / combined 4.8. CO₂ emissions in g/km: 110. Efficiency class: A.
³NEDC: Golf Variant 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion (96 kW / 130 PS) – fuel consumption in l/100 km: urban 6.3 / extra-urban 4.1 / combined 4.9. CO₂ emissions in g/km: 113. Efficiency class: A.
⁴NEDC: Golf Variant 1.5 TSI ACT BlueMotion DSG (96 kW / 130 PS) – fuel consumption in l/100 km: urban 6.1 / extra-urban 4.1 / combined 4.8. CO₂emissions in g/km: 110. Efficiency class: A.