Volkswagen to Introduce 70 mpg Diesel-Electric Hybrid Golf

I find it interesting how the price of the two fuels have differed recently.

Here, gas is $3.05 and diesel is $3.89.

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The main benefit of the diesel engine is that the equivalent biofuel for diesel engines (SVO) is vastly more land / space / energy efficient than the equivalent biofuel required by gasoline engines (ethanol or butanol).

This is what really makes the diesel engine the more environmentally sound choice over the longer term.

(BTW as you mentioned prices, straight vegetable oil is one third the price of diesel here in the UK and I use it with no tank or engine modifications in the summer.)

 

thats because the goverment is not yet taxing it the way gas or diesle is being taxed!
and it now that used yet like the demant on gas and diesel

edit: some more VW golf info

today i opened the car news paper
and found a article about the VW golf hybrid diesel
with some more info about the power train

-7 step DSG automatic gearbox ( double clutch )
-3 cylinder 1,2 liter common rail diesel engine with variable geometry turbo
55kw/75hp at 4000 rpm and 180nm from 2200 rpm
-20kw/27hp elec motor
-blue motion aerodynamic parts on the outside of the car
-and a (HV) battery not stated what kind.
-fabric on the seats are from recycled polyester and leftovers from leather production
-parts of the dashboard made out of fast growing bamboo

will get 3,4l/100km and a co2 of 89g/km


a 1.2 liter 3 cyl and only a 27hp elec motor.......
when people think a prius is slow wait for the VW golf hybrid

it Will perform better in highway because the little engine only needs to keep the car going and when accelerating is supported by the elec motor
only expected a bit better because the normal blue motion already got a low l/100km and this hybrid is not that advanced as the prius

 

For a time SVO was being taxed at the normal rate for road fuels, and with the tax included it was costing about 80 pence per litre (still some saving compared to 110 pence per litre for diesel).

However the law has recently changed here in the UK and we are allowed to use SVO without paying any tax (up to 2,000 litres per year anyway).

 

70 % of new cars sold in Noway is fitted with diesel, and VW is the most sold brand. We have some quality issues with VW also here, even though they are mostly German built.

Diesel is very popular due to low consume and high torque engines. The Diesel trend is the same in most other countries in Europe due to high energy prices. (USD 8 pr gallon).

 

Sounds pretty interesting. We'll have to wait and see how they really do with this on mileage and emissions. Lets not forget, we're comparing a new and unproven concept vehicle to a design thats now pretty old and been in production for ~5 years. I think we can also expect the next gen of gas hybrids to improve in terms of both mileage and emissions. If we ever get a hybrid Fit or Xa they may also be pretty impressive, and maybe more directly comparable to a Rabbit. With ULSD and catalyzed particle filters, PM should finally be a non-issue. Or at least we can start focusing on PM2.5 emissions in both gas and diesels. NOx is still going to be a challenge, and gas hybrids are doing better on CO and HCs than their diesel counterparts so I think the jury is still out there. Particularly since the new Mercedes CDI is pretty terrible on both of these figures. I'm skeptical that VW can improve mileage/efficiency, emissions, and performance in one fell swoop all while keeping cost in check but we'll see.

I think VW will have their work cut out for them given peoples concerns about both diesel in general and VWs reliability. Below is a summary I did on another list comparing some of CRs reliability data for the Jetta TDI and Prius. I used ABCDF for CRs circles, where A is much above average, B is above average, C is average, D is below average, and F is much below average:

Trouble Spot-- '01 TDI-- '04 TDI-- '06 TDI-- '01 Prius-- '04 Prius-- '06 Prius
Engine Maj ------ F -------- B ------ A ------ A -------- A -------- A
Engine Min ------ C -------- F ------ A ------ A -------- A -------- A
Engine Cooling --- A ------- C ------ A ------ A -------- A -------- A
Trans Major ------ D ------- B ------ A ------ A -------- A -------- A
Trans Minor ------ A ------- C ------ A ------ A -------- A -------- A
Drive System ----- B ------- A ------ A ------ B -------- A -------- A
Fuel System ------ D ------- F ------ B ------ B -------- B -------- A
Electrical --------- D ------- F ------ B ------ D -------- B -------- A
Climate ----------- A ------- B ------ A ------ A -------- A -------- A
Suspension ------- C ------- B ------ A ------ B -------- A -------- A
Brakes ----------- B ------- B ------- B ------ A -------- A -------- A
Exhaust ---------- A ------- B ------- A ------ B -------- A -------- A
Paint/Trim -------- C ------- B ------- B ------ A -------- A -------- A
Sqeaks/Rattles ---- C ------- C ------- B ------ A -------- B -------- A
Body HW ---------- C------- D ------- C ------ A -------- A -------- A
Power Equip ------- D ------- F ------- D ------ A -------- A -------- A
Audio ------------- B ------- C ------- F ------ A -------- D -------- A

If we take the analogy one step further, and assign each model a "reliability GPA":
'01 Jetta TDI: 2.24
'04 Jetta TDI: 2.00
'06 Jetta TDI: 3.18
'01 Prius: 3.59
'04 Prius: 3.65
'06 Prius: 4.0

Kind of sad that an '01 Prius seems to be more reliable than an '06 Jetta.

For me, I'd be even more tempted by a diesel PHEV. That little diesel probably will be more efficient on the freeway, and running around town on electric would keep most of the diesel emissions out of our urban centers. It would also reduce VOC emissions associated with gasoline evaporation, which can be significant in urban centers. If you reduce NOx and VOCs and move the remainder out of the cities, smog/ air quality should improve significantly. Electrical generation for the electric side of the equation is also not always the cleanest thing, but again it is generally out of urban centers and centralized making it easier to control and cleanup.

Rob

 

Then why does consumer reports & other such writers continue to lament on the electrical problems. I personally don't know, one way or the other how good or bad they are, but VW sure seems to get their share of bad press here, when it comes to reliability. Any theories?

 

so you think that smog Will stop at the town borders?
the smog produced on the highway Will not stay there! it Will spread evenly over the city and further!

and you can not drive elec al the time so the diesel engine needs to startup
i wonder what is best a diesel engine needing to startup of a gas engine all the time like in the prius!

yes the VW in EU is build in germany
your VW is build in! Brazil?

 

Americans are more spoilt than Europeans when it comes to reliability.

 

Yes, the smog produced on the highways will spread to the cities, but it isn't at ground level by then. A PHEV should not be turning on its engine until the battery needs a charge. Which should be never if its used for short in town trips.

NOx is high from diesels, but kind in mind, the technology on them to control it is 20 years behind petros. With the cleaner fuel, we should push for them to become cleaner.

Are the CR values for the TDI Jetta sedan, or both wagon and sedan? I've heard the wagon is better in reliability because it's German made, and the sedan is Mexican. Is there a difference, or is just perception?

 

Diesel Is $4.15 A Gallon Here In The Midwest

 

Lucky you! Here in Italy it's $7.94

 

do you also dare to say the petrol pricein dollars?

 

In Italy prices are quivalent.

95 is 1.36
98 is 1.39
D is 1.34
ecoD is 1.38

Yoy have more expensive petrol. Please, tell the US.

 

You are on.

In Italy petrol without taxes is 59,06 cents per litre, that is equivalent to 3,39 US$ per US Gallon

Diesel is 70,12 cents per litre, that is equivalent to 4,02 US$ per US Gallon.

 

59 Euro cent per litre.