Hybrid News

Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Volkswagen

Volkswagen still has yet to announce a production hybrid drivetrain of any sort, instead choosing to focus its efforts on clean diesel technology, and with good effect - the new Jetta TDI was named the 2009 Green Car of the Year. Despite the lack of production plans, VeeDub has been testing some interesting hybrid concepts for the last few months, especially the Golf Twin Drive. Up until now, all of the Twin Drive models had been based on the previous fifth-generation Golf, but that has just been rectified as the German automaker has updated its concept with the latest chassis and sheetmetal.

Twenty Golf Twin Drive cars currently exist and are undergoing testing. Independent tests of the Twin Drive indicate that it can achieve over 90 miles per gallon (US). Three electric motors are used, one up front with the 1.5L diesel engine and one for each rear wheel, making this an all-wheel drive car. Despite its excellent efficiency, there is a high monetary cost to pay for this much technology, so don’t expect a production version any time soon.

[Source: World Car Fans]

VW adds Twin Drive technology to sixth-gen Golf originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Diesel, Bentley, Volkswagen

It looks like Bentley chief Franz-Josef Paefgen is being over-ruled when it comes to what kinds of powertrains will appear in his cars in the future. Specifically, Volkswagen is firmly committed to diesel engines while Paefgen has said that they are inappropriate for Bentley automobiles. VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn told Auto Motor und Sport that the company will respond to changing markets and he could imagine a diesel Bentley. The engine for the British luxury brand is likely to be a new twin turbocharged variant of the current 3.0L TDI V6 currently being developed by Audi engineers. That engine with over 300 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque is set to debut in 2009 in the new A8. A high torque engine like this would be a good choice in a Bentley.

[Source: AutoCar]

Bentley boss gets over-ruled, diesel possible originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Hydrogen, Volkswagen, LA Auto Show, China

Shanghai VW, is bringing a hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of the Passat Lingyu to the LA Auto Show. The Shanghai Securities News, via Gasgoo, says this is the first China-made “new-energy car model” from VW to make an appearance at an auto show. It’s also the first-ever hydrogen Passat. The fuel cell Passat Lingyu (just rolls off the tongue, doesn′t it?) can go a reported 300 kilometers (186 miles) on a full charge and has a top speed of 150 km/h (about 93 mph) on the latest fuel cell system from SAIC (Shanghai VW’s parent) and its partners. SAIC is also behind the fuel cell Chevrolet Equinox that was used at the Beijing Olympics. Supposedly, Shanghai VW wants the hydrogen Passat Lingyu in mass production by 2010. We’ll find out more this week.

[Source: Gasgoo via Green Car Congress]

LA Preview: hydrogen fuel cell Passat Lingyu originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Diesel, Volkswagen, LA Auto Show

If youʻre gonna go tearing through the desert, itʻs best to do it in a clean beast. VW thinks that the new Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck will fit the bill and will unveil the clean diesel machine at the LA Auto Show next week. Powered by a huge 5.5 liter V-12 TDI Twin Turbo diesel engine with 550 horsepower and 625 lbs.-ft. of torque, this isn′t a vehicle designed for efficiency. No sir, but there are two Dow Automotive Diesel Particle Filters in the exhaust stream. See, it’s clean. Hehe. Following the LA debut, the Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck will have a go at the 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race. We’ll have all the details on Wednesday.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading LA Preview: Volkswagen unveiling Touareg TDI Trophy Truck

LA Preview: Volkswagen unveiling Touareg TDI Trophy Truck originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Volkswagen, China

Volkswagen and its premium Audi unit both have deals with Japan’s Sanyo to supply lithium ion batteries for future hybrid and electric vehicles. Apparently that’s not good enough for VW’s Chinese operations. The German automaker is looking for a Chinese supplier to provide batteries locally for the cars it produces there. Volkswagen China vice president Xu Jian told an interviewer at a conference that the company expects the pace of development for hybrid and electric vehicles to exceed internal combustion engines in the next decade. If VW wants to be competitive in China, the company will need to source components like batteries from local suppliers rather than importing them from Japan. In spite of development efforts, Xu expects hybrid and electric vehicles to only make up 20 percent of the market by 2020.

[Source: Gasgoo]

Volkswagen wants a local battery partner for Chinese operations originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, Volkswagen

Volkswagen is expanding its BlueMotion lineup again, this time moving to its people movers. BlueMotion versions of the Golf-based Touran and the larger Sharan will follow the same pattern of similarly-badged VWs. High efficiency diesel engines will be combined with some usual aerodynamic tweaks, taller gearing and low rolling resistance tires. The Touran will be powered by older 104 hp 1.9L “pumpe-duse” TDI engine. That’s good enough to achieve 43.5 mpg (U.S.) on the EU test cycle, an improvement from 39.9 mpg. The larger Sharan gets the latest 2.0L common rail diesel as used in the new Jetta TDI. In that package, the result is 39.2 mpg (U.S.) along with 138 hp. Both MPVs are now on sale in the UK.

[Source: Autocar]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, Manufacturing/Plants, Volkswagen

Volkswagen of America CEO Stefan Jacoby spoke at a Clean Energy Technology summit in Chattanooga, TN this week about plans for the company’s new factory there. Jacoby announced that the new mid-sized car that will be built there will include an optional clean diesel engine. The new car will replace the current Passat and be specifically targeted to the North American market when the plant comes online by 2011. Jacoby didn′t reveal any specifics about which TDI engine would be used, but the current European market Passat is equipped with the same 2.0L engine that is in the recently introduced Jetta TDI.

The VW executive also emphasized that the plant will be designed from the start to minimize resource use and environmental impact. VW will build a wetland area adjacent to the factory to help control flooding. Inside, the climate control system will use new greener refrigerants and reuse and recycling practices will be maximized.

[Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Audi

Audi officials have been indicating for some time that the German brand will introduce a battery electric in the coming years. Last week at the Paris Motor Show, management board member Peter Schwarzenbauer reportedly confirmed that again to Britain’s AutoCar magazine. However, contrary to some previous reports that the car would be based on the new A1 mini that appeared in concept form in Paris, Schwarzenbauer said the EV would be based on the upcoming NSF (new small family) which is the basis of the series of Volkswagen up! concepts that appeared in 2007. Volkswagen will brand the production version of the up! as the Lupo and the platform will also spawn models under other VW group brands such as Seat and Skoda. Thanks to zamafir for the tip!

[Source: AutoCar]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, Volkswagen

The first ever season of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup wrapped up this weekend before the start of the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta. After eight races at tracks around North America since April, Josh Hurley’s second place finish in the last race was enough to put him over the top for the series championship. Hurley captured the pole position for the opening race at VIRginia Internation Raceway and then ran consistently enough, including a win at Portland, to accumulate 260 points. Liam Kenney won the Road Atlanta race and finished second in the championship. The championship means Hurley earns $100,000. If Hurley manages to get a professional racing contract within the next six months, Volkswagen will give him another $250,000 toward furthering his racing career.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Inaugural VW Jetta TDI cup goes to Josh Hurley

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Volkswagen

Volkswagen is currently running a twenty strong test fleet of Twin-Drive Golfs in and around Berlin Germany and the results of this work are expected to hit the retail market around 2011. The current test models are using diesel engines but the production versions are likely to switch to gasoline when their 30-mile electric range has been expended. With coming EURO VI emissions standards that approach the U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 standards, a diesel hybrid would simply be too expensive to be commercially viable. The drivetrain layout of the Twin-Drive is different from the approach being used by current parallel hybrids or extended range EVs like the Volt. While the Volt ER-EV is a series hybrid setup where only the electric motor is mechanically coupled to the wheels, the Golf is a parallel system but without a transmission. The single reduction gear ratio is comparable to a normal high gear and the torque of the electric motor is used to provide the equivalent of the torque multiplication that is normally achieved with a lower gears. The absence of a conventional gearbox compensates for some of the added weight of the battery and motor. A 12 kWh Sanyo lithium ion battery pack provides 30 miles of driving range and energy storage from the regenerative braking.

[Source: Motor Trend]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, MPG, Volkswagen, Lightweight

Despite the fact that the sixth-generation of VW’s insanely popular hatchback has yet to hit the driveways of actual customers, speculation on gen-seven is already well underway. Number-six continues the tradition of enlarging each successive model-year, but that trend is set to come to an end after this redesign. Europe is currently working on legislation to limit carbon emissions and the U.S. is set to cap manufacturer’s fuel efficiency at a much more stringent rate that what we have now. Therefore, the Golf, or Rabbit in the States, should shed a few pounds in its Extreme Makeover and will likely get some smaller entry-level engines. We’d imagine that Volkswagen is hard at work on diesel engines, especially considering the buzz surrounding the Jetta TDI these days, as well as small gasoline engines with forced induction. Whatever happens, expect efficiency to take top priority as the years pass by.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req′d]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Diesel, Volkswagen, Green Daily, USA

If you are a fan of the diesel engine - and Volkswagen′s TDI engine series in particular - VW would love it if you’d go ahead and spread your love of the oil-burner with your family and friends. Of course, having the only 50-state legal diesel on the market, at least for a little while, the automaker stands to benefit from whatever pent-up demand there may be for efficient and clean diesels. Offering its Jetta in either sedan or wagon wagen forms, the German automaker hopes it has something to please everyone.

With consumer perception of diesel engines in America still mired in the ’70s and 80s era of mediocrity, VW will need all the advocates it can get to help educate the masses on the benefits of the compression ignition engine. Based on our first impressions, at least the automaker is starting off with a good product. Based on the success of this model, VW will make decisions on what other models to bring across the pond.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req’d]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: MPG, Volkswagen

It’s been reported that Eaton will be providing superchargers for use on the 1.4L TSI engines for the MK VI Golf including the Rabbit-badged version sold in the U.S. market. The 1.4L TSI is a direct injected four cylinder engine that’s been offered in multiple power levels for a variety of European Volkswagen models for the past two years. The top 140 and 170 hp versions use a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger to give a performance boost through the engine speed range. The TSI engines provide output matching larger 1.6-2.0L engines with superior fuel economy. The MK VI Golf debuts at the Paris Motor Show next week and goes on sale in the U.S. as the Rabbit next fall. Volkswagen has not yet responded to a request for comment. If the 1.4L TSI joins the U.S. lineup it will join the new 2.0L TDI and hopefully replace the current 2.5L five cylinder.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req’d]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, Volkswagen, USA

We’re here in Santa Monica, CA today for the first media drives of the new 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, so we did some asking around about additional diesel models for the lineup. VW of American Communications Director Steve Keyes filled in some details. First up, as expected, the next addition to the TDI lineup is the Touareg, which iscurrently scheduled to start production in mid-February 2009 at VW’s plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. By the time the first Touaregs with the 3.0L ͢ diesel roll off the boat onto U.S. shores it will be at least late March, more likely the first week or two of April. Later in the summer, the new VW product onslaught continues with the next-generation GTI based on the new MK VI Golf that is debuting at the Paris show next month. That will be followed by more pedestrian Rabbits with both the 2.5L five cylinder gas engine and the 2.0L TDI in the fall. VW has decided to continue with the Rabbit name for the U.S. since it seems to be selling well and Americans apparently like it.

One model that won’t be getting the TDI treatment for a while is the new Tiguan crossover. According to Keyes, the Tiguan’s extra size and weight mean extra load on the 2.0L TDI. As a result of working harder, the exhaust flow is greater and a urea injection system would be needed rather than the lean NOx trap used on the Jetta and Rabbit. Since the current Tiguan is not designed for a urea tank, it won’t be getting a U.S. diesel anytime soon.

[Source: Volkswagen]

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid

Filed under: Diesel, MPG, Volkswagen

We′ve written about the exploits of Helen and John Taylor on several previous occasions. The pair like to get into cars and see how far they can drive between fill-ups. Their most recent adventure took them around Australia in a Peugeot 308 with an average of 75.6 mpg (U.S.). Today, they are setting off from Chantilly, VA on trek intended to carry them through all 48 contiguous states. The 8,000 mile trip is expected to take three weeks and only include 12 (!) refueling stops. They are hoping to beat the current world record for a cross trip of 51.8 mpg. The pair already set a world record driving around the world in 24 tanks of fuel in a VW Golf in 2006 and this time around they will be driving one of the new 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDIs. The trip will take Taylors counter clockwise around the country using the usual array of efficient driving tactics including not idling or speeding and minimizing drag.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Hyper-miling couple going for trans-continental mileage record

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Original post by Sam Abuelsamid