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 TGI 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. There is 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 kilometers compared to its predecessor, enabling routes of up to 440 kilometers (based on WLTP) with natural gas alone. Drivers will also reach the destination faster, as the bonnet conceals an overhauled, powerful 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 96 kW (130 hp). This engine is primarily powered with 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-liter 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 meters. With the petrol tank reduced in size to 9 liters (for a Golf Variant TGI, that corresponds to a range of approximately 200 kilometers) and now serving merely as a backup, this is referred to as a quasi-monovalent drive concept.
The three natural gas tanks have a combined volume of 115 liters, which corresponds to a total weight of 17.3 kilograms. The tanks are made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) or from metal.
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! and TGI models of the Polo, Golf, Golf Variant, the Volkswagen Group also already offers an extensive range of 14 CNG vehicles.
Source: Volkswagen
