Skip to main content

VW Reveals Mild-Hybrid Golf in UK

Although Volkswagen has admitted that plug-in hybrids aren’t a priority in America, the era of mild-hybridization is upon us–or is at least upon EU–and the company has revealed what that will look like for the Golf.

Powered by a 1.5-liter gas engine, that’s married to an 8kW belt-integrated starter generator—which sounds remarkably like an alternator, but whatever—that funnels electricity to a 48-volt lithium ion battery. Weirdly, this is in addition to the 12V battery that will still run the usual electronics.

So far, that’s nothing especially groundbreaking, but the beefier electrical system does at least allow the Golf to do more. It allows faster start-stops, better energy recovery, and can provide more boost to the engine.

But wait, there’s more! A “mild hybrid plus” version will also incorporate a 35 hp electric motor that can drive either the front or rear axle. That means that the system can recover energy through regenerative braking, shut down the engine to save fuel, or—more enticingly—funnel extra torque to some of the wheels.

Funneling extra torque is always exciting because it helps performance in all sorts of ways. The extra torque can help acceleration in a straight line, but can also help with cornering (by providing extra power to the outside wheels).

That means that the same system that improves lap times also improves fuel economy by 7 mpg, according to VW.

Along with the electric motor, VW also has a shiny new TSI engine that uses a variable geometry turbo that apparently has the highest compression and best fuel economy in its class. Volkswagen is also developing an even better 1.5-liter engine making an extra 30 hp that can run on either gas or compressed natural gas.

Autocar recently had the chance to drive a prototype MHEV Golf. The publication reports that power delivery is smooth and linear and that it feels pretty much production ready, but that the MHEV Plus—with the 35 hp electric motor—feels a little farther from development because its power comes in and out a little more choppily.

So far the publication has only driven the FWD version but was treated to an AWD demonstration. A FWD Tiguan was driven in deep sand, where it became stuck until the electric motor gave the rear wheels a kick helping the Tiguan out.

Volkswagen anticipates that these systems will be commonplace in a few years because they help efficiency and are cheaper than a plug-in hybrid system—which could even make them appealing here.

That’s no reason to fret, reports Autocar, because the mild hybrid system, that Audi has been working on since the SQ7, eliminates turbo lag and makes the car feel responsive and engaging, causing Autocar to call it a better all-around option than the traditional Golf.

[source: Autocar]

The post VW Reveals Mild-Hybrid Golf in UK appeared first on VWVortex.



from VWVortex http://ift.tt/2hOV9kC
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Waterfest Moves to Atco Dragway

Waterfest 24 will be held at Atco Dragway, in Atco, New Jersey. The summer event will take place at its new venue on July 21 and 22. Long held in Englishtown, New Jersey, the festival has been such a large part of the VW scene that the latest iteration of the Golf even comes with optional “Englishtown” wheels . The new venue, however, is an NHRA drag track a scant 52 miles southwest of Englishtown. The ¼ mile drag track opened in 1960, which makes it the oldest drag strip in New Jersey. The announcement came today on a social media post that announced the new location. Waterfest is North America’s largest VW/Audi show. As many 20,000 people show up for the annual show, making the second largest show in the world—with Worthersee being number one. 2018 will be Waterfest’s 24 th year in existence. The post Waterfest Moves to Atco Dragway appeared first on VWVortex . from VWVortex http://ift.tt/2GQjkuc via IFTTT
Post a Comment
Read more

Macau Gets Messy with 16-Car Pileup

The Macau Grand Prix is always good for an accident or two or 16— you may remember Audi’s race ending crash last year —and this year’s event didn’t disappoint. It didn’t take long for things to get messy on the tight road circuit. On the opening lap of the qualifying race a 16-car pileup caused the race to be suspended. Things kicked off when Daniel Juncadella hit a wall on the exit of Police bend, one of the tightest parts of the already tight circuit. The following car of Raffaele Marciello was able to avoid the carnage, but Laurens Vanthoor, who was in the upside-down Audi that ended the race last year, could not avoid Juncadella and together they blocked up the road pretty much completely. “I couldn’t see him [Juncadella] at first. Then I saw the car standing still,” Vanthoor told Motorsport. “I tried to brake but it was just understeering and I couldn’t do anything. There’s room for one car there and you’re blind.” Fourteen more cars would eventually crash into the corner c
Post a Comment
Read more

The First of its Kind: Integrated Engineering Releases Highly-Anticipated IE450T MK6 Golf R Turbo Kit

After two long years of development, the team at Integrated Engineering has finally announced the release of their IE450T kit for the MK6 Golf R. With their turbo kit bolted on right out of the box, the sport AWD hatch is transformed into a 450bhp monster, with hardly any noticeable increase in spool time. In fact, 435 ft-lbs of torque are achieved at all four wheels, at a mere 3300rpm! By now you are probably asking yourself how this is even possible on a 2.0L engine that made nearly half that power from the factory. By employing true twin-scroll technology into the cast turbo manifold and pairing it with a state-of-the-art BorgWarner EFR turbocharger, IE was able to keep spool time at a minimum and bring the fastest-spooling big turbo setup to the market. “We wanted to offer a kit that would dramatically increase the power output without making the car lose its amazing street-friendly drivability,” mentioned one of the IE engineers. We are told the IE450T leaves the car driving jus
Post a Comment
Read more