Volkswagen To Coast Its Way To Sustainable Mobility

Still reeling from the Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen has presented their plan for sustainable mobility at the 38th Vienna Motor Symposium. In its bid for redemption, the largest carmaker in the world has announced that it will introduce all-new, partial and fully-electric vehicles as well as a new CNG engine along with a clever coasting function for internal combustion engines that will make VW Group’s cars more fuel-efficient and polar bear-friendly. 

The coasting function works hand in hand with VW’s DSG (dual-clutch, automatic) gearbox and the Golf TSI BlueMotion would be the first offering from the manufacturer to feature the new technology. Moreover, the invention helps in the reduction of fuel consumption by switching off the engine under zero load circumstances (which is also known as coasting). However, a catch here would be that it only works up to a speed of 130kmph. 

A vital question here would be as to how does this system work? A compact lithium-ion battery is added to the 12-volt vehicle electricals - such as headlamps, wiper blades, power windows and music system, among others. The lithium-ion battery in question then supplies power to the engine while coasting. Towards the end of the coasting phase, depending upon a car’s driving speed and situation, the engine is started in one of the several different ways - either using the starter motor or the clutch or deploying both.

‘Coasting’ away from fuel-guzzlers, it’s now time to speak about all-electric vehicles. VW has upgraded the e-Golf’s motor by increasing the battery capacity, thereby making it powerful and all the more efficient. The e-Golf’s electric motor now delivers 136PS of power and 290Nm of peak torque, an upgradation from its previous figures of 116PS and 270Nm. Even the top-speed figure has witnessed an upward movement and now it stands at 150kmph, from the earlier figure of 140kmph. With an improved lithium-ion battery, the driving range has now increased from 190km to 300km. 

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VW has plans to further continue their electric-powered journey by introducing vehicles based on all-electric architecture. The manufacturer has revealed that in 2020 they would be launching their first car based on the new drive system. We have seen a glimpse of the line-up with the BUDD-65, I.D.6 and the I.D BUZZ 7 concept vehicles which were recently showcased. Volkswagen promises that the vehicles based on their all-electric architecture will combine zero-emission driving with extended driving range.

Moving onto Volkswagen’s engines which can run on compressed natural gas (CNG), the manufacturer has unveiled a new compact 1.0-litre TGI three-cylinder turbocharged engine which produces 90PS of peak power. In the gas-powered mode, the engine works in a particularly low-emission manner – emitting fewer CO2 and NOx particles. Volkswagen also stressed upon the fact that if CNG is produced in a sustainable way, for instance as biomethane from agricultural waste, it will facilitate a mode of transportation which would emit lesser quantity of carbon dioxide. 

Recommended Read: Volkswagen Electric CUV Concept 

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