2.0 TDI with 272 PS-268 HP (200 kW)– bi-turbo plus electric booster
Drive systems such as the first 10-speed DSG reduce fuel consumption and emissions
The latest innovations by Volkswagen:
1. Mild hybrid – shuts off the TSI/TDI when it is not being used.
2. Stop-start 2.0 – engine shuts off at speeds under 7 km/h.
3. 2.0 TDI with 240 PS* – bi-turbo Passat consumes 5.3 l/100 km.
4. 2.0 TDI with 272 PS – bi-turbo plus electric booster.
5. 10-speed DSG – new automatic for engines with up to 550 Nm of torque.
6. Lightweight design with lightweight panels – sandwich construction from motorsport
7. Infrared-reflecting dashboard – pigments that reject heat.
8. Low-E glass sunroof – oxide film blocks infrared radiation.
9. Range manager – maximum range in Auto mode.
10. Air conditioning in electric cars – need-based and extremely efficient
11. Volkswagen Car-Net – brings online services into the car.
12. "Security & Service" – always informed about vehicle status.
13. App Connect – welcome to "Apple CarPlay" and "Android Auto".
14. Volkswagen Media Control – tablet control via app in the car
15. Predictive navigation – the first navigation system that "learns".
16. Personalisation – individual settings at all times.
17. Easy Open – open sesame 2.0.
18. Easy Close – the Passat Estate now closes automatically.
Today, the hunt for every gram of CO2, every drop of fuel, every kilowatt of power that can be saved is one of the key challenges faced by the automotive industry. The objective is to drive into the future more sustainably than ever. Volkswagen AG has set the goal of becoming the world's most sustainable carmaker by the year 2018. Compared to baseline figures for 2010, the Group wants to reduce energy and water consumption, waste generation and emissions (including CO2 emissions) by 25 per cent in all of its business areas. The company is applying all of its innovative carmaking know-how to achieve this sustainability gain within the four years remaining until 2018.
CO2 reduction. In its products, Volkswagen – the highest volume brand of the Group – is counting on electric mobility (zero-emission and plug-in hybrid models), on continually more fuel-efficient combustion engines and gearboxes, progressive lightweight design, pioneering aerodynamics and efficiency in every conceivable area. Volkswagen is now presenting to the international media, in the framework of an Innovation Workshop, its latest technologies for reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – which include the world's first 10-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) – at the Ehra-Lessien test track facility near Wolfsburg.
Networking. Along with the drive systems, automotive infotainment systems are also changing faster than ever, because the vehicle and the Internet are growing and merging together. In this context, Matthias Wissmann, President of the German Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Verband der Automobilindustrie, VDA), speaks of a "revolution in the car". And in fact today's hardware and software enable numerous online services and bring, step by step, the apps of smart phones into the vehicle. But that too poses a challenge. Because the new possibilities must be meaningfully and safely integrated into the world of mobility. Europe's largest carmaker is implementing precisely this in its new infotainment systems and software solutions, which still remain intuitive despite their wide variety of functional content. At Ehra-Lessien, Volkswagen is also presenting the latest apps for networking the vehicle with the online world and other interactive convenience systems – including the first self-learning navigation system.
CO2 reduction
Think Blue. Engineering. The great potential of the Volkswagen sustainability strategy "Think Blue. Engineering." is reflected in the latest innovations with which the company is further reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Background: the "Technical Development (TE)" department at Volkswagen addresses sustainability issues early on in the context of product development. In pursuing this strategy, "Technical Development" is making a significant contribution towards climate protection, resource preservation and health. It has set the goal of reducing waste materials, emissions, water usage and CO2 emissions by 25 per cent (compared to 2010 figures) by 2018. Based on "Think Blue. Engineering." each new product should also be developed to embody exhibit environmental properties – over its entire product life cycle – which are better than in the previous model.
Mild hybrid – stop-start 2.0 and coasting with engine off. The start-stop 2.0 system does not just deactivate the engine when the car is stationary at a red light; rather it already deactivates the engine at speeds below 7 km/h. In coasting with engine off (special coasting function), the engine is also shut off at higher speeds as soon as the driver releases the accelerator pedal. This can significantly improve fuel economy when the driver adopts an anticipatory style of driving. In addition, mild hybrid systems developed by Volkswagen enable energy recovery in braking phases; productive use of this energy results in further fuel economy benefits. The engine is always restarted extremely comfortably. This makes saving fun.
High-performance engines. New high-tech engines such as the 240-PS bi-turbo diesel (176 kW) of the recently revealed Passat also make saving a pleasure. With a power density of 120 PS per litre displacement, it is the most powerful of any four-cylinder TDI that has ever been put into production. The fuel consumption of the saloon – which has a top speed of 240 km/h – is a low 5.3 l/100 km. An intelligent advanced development of this TDI might take the following form: the power of the two-litre engine could be increased to 200 kW / 272 PS by the use of a variable valve train, further optimised gas exchange cycles and what is known as an electric booster.
10-speed DSG: Since the first Volkswagen dual-clutch gearbox was introduced (2003), the DSG has developed into an international success. The reasons are obvious: no other automatic shifts faster, and no other automatic operates more fuel-efficiently. Now Volkswagen is presenting a newly developed 10-speed DSG for engines with up to 550 Nm of torque. The highly efficient layout of its gear steps contributes towards further lowering of CO2 emissions.
Progressive detailed solutions. It is the sum of progress made in all disciplines that advances Volkswagen closer to its goals for 2018 – item by item. Consider the area of lightweight design: Here, the company has just adapted a sandwich construction method – two steel cover layers and a middle polymer-thermoplastic layer – from low-volume to high-volume production. The "technology donor" in this case is the street version of the Polo R WRC (in 2014, Volkswagen won the rally world championship for the second consecutive time with the racing version of this car). New systems such as the extremely thin oxide film that is vapour deposited on the low-E glass sunroof, making it infrared-reflecting, a dashboard that also reflects infrared light (both developments reduce the cooling load of the air conditioner), a range manager for electric vehicles (for optimal use of the energy stored in the battery) and need-based and extremely efficient air conditioning (also for zero-emission models such as the e-up! and e-Golf) are equally important in ensuring that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are further reduced.