Following the company’s Passat TSI EcoFuel wagon concept, Volkswagen has released a sedan version of the high-mileage platform. The Passat EcoFuel sedan concept made its debut at the Bologna Motor Show and is capable of running on gasoline and natural gas.
At the heart of the EdoFuel sedan is a supercharged and turbocharged 1.4L TSI powerplant, developing a healthy 150 horsepower. However, in order to handle the extra power of burning natural gas, the engine has been reinforced with upgraded valves, piston rings and pistons. In addition, VW also downsized the 1.4L’s turbo.
Thanks new engine management control system, the Passat EcoFuel can switch seamlessly between fuel sources.
Natural gas is stored in three tanks under the rear half of the car, with a total capacity of 22kg. A 31L gas tank is also aboard, giving the Passat EcoFuel a total range of 500 miles. The EcoFuel sedan consumes 4.5kg of natural gas every 100 km, which translates roughly into 52 mpg.
The EcoFuel sedan can accelerate from 0-60 in just under 10 seconds – on its way to a top speed of 130 mpg – so it wouldn’t be unrealistic to use for daily driving duties. VW hasn’t announced when it expects to put its EcoFuel technology into a road-going vehicle, but with pending emissions standards, we suspect it will be sooner rather than later.
