Volkswagen Looks to Natural Gas Models for Next Volume Success
Volkswagen is expanding its compressed natural gas car range in Europe, aiming to replicate the strong sales of its TDI diesel models with new MQB-based offerings.
Volkswagen is stepping up its commitment to compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in Europe, aiming to build on the formula that made its TDI diesel models a staple for high-mileage drivers. The company is launching the Golf TGI, its first CNG model on the modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform, and hopes this new generation of natural gas cars can capture a broader market.
The Golf TGI arrives with a newly developed 1.4-litre engine producing 81 kW (110 PS) and is capable of running on both petrol and CNG. In pure natural gas mode, Volkswagen claims a range of 420 kilometres for the manual version, with fuel consumption of 3.5 kg of gas per 100 km and CO2 emissions of 94 g/km. This puts the Golf TGI among the most efficient combustion-powered Golfs to date.
Volkswagen’s CNG ambitions and the European market
Volkswagen’s strategy is to repeat the impact its TDI diesels had on the market after their 1989 debut, which transformed diesel from a commercial vehicle fuel to a mainstream choice for private motorists. The company already offers CNG versions of the Up!, Passat and Touran, but trails Fiat in European sales. Fiat’s dominance is most apparent in Italy, where CNG accounts for nearly five percent of new car registrations after five months of 2013, according to JATO Dynamics.
Across Europe, CNG vehicle sales remain a niche, but the segment is growing. In the first five months of 2013, 36,618 CNG cars were sold, up from 29,901 in the same period the previous year. That still represents only 0.7 percent of the market, but the upward trend is clear. Volkswagen is betting that a broader CNG line-up, especially in high-volume models like the Golf, can help close the gap with Fiat and expand the market.
Challenges and competition in the natural gas segment
Volkswagen’s push comes as other manufacturers also explore natural gas. Mercedes-Benz, for example, has announced the B 200 Natural Gas Drive, while Honda has shifted its focus away from CNG in favour of hydrogen fuel cell technology in some markets. The challenge for Volkswagen is not just technical, but also infrastructural: CNG refuelling remains limited in many European countries outside Italy and Germany, restricting the appeal for mainstream buyers.
- Golf TGI: MQB-based, 1.4-litre 110 PS engine, 420 km CNG range
- Up! city car: CNG variant available
- Passat and Touran: CNG options in select markets
Volkswagen’s ambition is to make CNG cars as familiar as its TDI diesels once were. The next few years will show whether the combination of lower emissions, running costs and new model offerings can shift natural gas from the margins into the mainstream, or whether infrastructure and consumer habits will keep it a niche technology.
For more on the Golf TGI’s Geneva debut, see Volkswagen Golf TGI BlueMotion Makes Natural Gas Play at Geneva. For a look at Mercedes-Benz’s CNG strategy, read Mercedes-Benz B 200 Natural Gas Drive to debut at Paris Motor Show.
