Parece que o projecto Golf TDI Hybrid vai morrer. Em substituição, poderá aparecer um 1.4 TSI Hybrid
(não vi isto já falado, se for repetido, pf apaguem)
R.I.P. Volkswagen Golf Turbo-Diesel Hybrid, We Hardly Knew Ya
via Treehugger.com
Volkswagen introduced a
turbo-diesel hybrid-electric Golf concept car at the
Geneva Motor Show, and the specs were impressive: 70 miles per gallon (3.3 liters per 100 kilometers), a 7-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG) with a twin-clutch, minor modifications to reduce aerodynamic drag, CO2 emissions of 89 g/km (lower than a
Toyota Prius hybrid), and Tier 2 Bin 5 tailpipe emissions. And of course, the ability to run on biodiesel (waste cooking oil or algae, preferably).
But it was too good to be true. VW contradicted its earlier statement in the March 27 issue of
Auto, Motor und Sport and said that the Golf turbo-diesel hybrid would be too expensive, so their not going to make it (not as specified above, anyway). It's stillborn, in other words.
What Will Replace the Golf Turbo-Diesel Hybrid
According to the German magazine, the VW Golf hybrid will most likely use a 1.4 liter TSI gasoline engine instead of a diesel one. By combining a supercharger and a turbocharger, the 'twincharged' TSI engine can be downsized and still produce as much power as a bigger displacement engine while using less fuel, so it is a good candidate for coupling with a hybrid drivetrain.
But it still probably won't reach the fuel economy achieved by the turbo-diesel hybrid Golf concept. According to Green Car Congress, the
1.4 TSI engine in the Golf gets 32.7 MPG (US Gallons), which isn't that great for such a small car. Further downsizing would certainly give better results (the 1.4 liter TSI produces 168-horsepower, so a 1.2 or 1.1 liter model would still have decent power).
Volkswagen's Fuel Efficiency Strategy
While waiting for the hybrid to come out, VW said that it would rely on more downsizing and use of the
anti-idling stop/start technology (which shuts down the engine when the car comes to a stop, reducing wasted fuel) to meet its fuel efficiency targets.
R.I.P. Golf Turbo-Diesel Hybrid. We hardly knew ya.