Volkswagen 'BlueMotion' Range Explained
VW's 'BlueMotion' badge is a handy way to identify their most eco-friendly cars and features. Energy-efficient cars go further on less fuel, so BlueMotion drivers will also notice that they are spending less on running costs. With lower CO2 emissions, you'll also pay less road tax. By way of example, the lastest BlueMotion Golf will not only do just under 69 miles to the gallon, but is in road tax band B (currently £35 p/a). Compare that to more than £400 p/a for the least environmentally friendly tax band.
The idea behind BlueMotion means that there are a wide range of energy-saving technologies incorporated throughout all cars in the range, but the most important are new engines (the TSI petrol and TDI diesel) and the DSG dual-clutch gearbox.
The TDI Diesel Engines
TDI stands for Turbocharged Direct Injection, and these diesel engines have plenty of new modifications that mean they burn fuel more efficiently - and more cleanly - without affecting the power output. Software developments have meant that the engine speed is reduced to a minimum whilst the vehicle is in traffic or waiting to turn, and longer gear ratios keep revs low to burn less fuel.
The TSI Petrol Engines
These award-winning engines offer superb fuel efficiency and a quiet, smooth ride without sacrificing power. Clever design features mean they are smaller and lighter than traditional petrol engines, and some models are hybrids that use a turbocharger (a system common in diesel engines that re-uses power from the exhaust gas to drive air intake and make combustion more efficient) alongside the normal supercharger (that allows full power at low speeds) - giving the best of both worlds.
The DSG (Dual Clutch) Gearbox
Imagine a gearbox that combined response and economy (traditional manual transmission benefits) with the ease of use and smooth changes that an automatic transmission offers. The DSG is actually two electronically controlled clutches and can offer better fuel economy than a standard manual gearbox. Added to this some models have a 'recommended gear' indicator that uses up or down arrows to recommended changing to a higher or lower gear.
Other energy-saving features include:
Automatic Start/Stop Technology
First featured in the VW Passat, this innovation means that putting the car into neutral and releasing the clutch will switch the engine off; dipping the clutch will re-start it. Perfect for saving fuel in stop-start city traffic or a motorway tailback, the system can easily be deactivated by a dashboard switch.
Kinetic Energy Storage
Improvements to the alternator and battery mean that kinetic energy that is normally lost when slowing down or braking is saved in the form of unutilised alternator voltage and used to charge the battery. This is then 'recycled' when the car starts up or accelerates, meaning less demand on the alternator (which draws energy from fuel consumption via the engine). Net result: less fuel used.
Finally, lower resistance tyres and improved body aerodynamics mean less engine power is needed to move the car forward along the road and through the air.
BlueMotion Technology is available on a wide range of cars including: Polo, Golf, Golf Plus, Passat, Tiguan, Eos, Touran, Sharan and Touareg.