The German automaker has teamed up with new energy companies to develop some of its vehicles powered by clean, sustainable fuels. For the natural gas variant, Audi joined Stuttgart-based SolarFuel, which is constructing a plant to produce the e-gas to fuel the TCNG version of the Audi A3 Sportback, recently unveiled at the Paris Motor Show.
SolarFuel’s plant will convert hydrogen to synthetic natural gas through a process called “methanization,” creating a carbon dioxide-neutral fuel it can feed back into the grid. Both the bi-fuel version of the A3 and the synthetic natural gas will be available in Germany, informed Motor Trend.
The A3 TCNG, which has both a 13.2-gallon natural gas tank and a 13.2-gallon petroleum gas tank, and a range of 775 miles, goes on sale in Germany May 2013, when the automaker expects the synthetic natural gas to be ready.
