AMI Leipzig 2009: Golf Plus BiFuel (Factory LPG)

Low-emissions Golf Plus BiFuel offers significant cost advantages
New Golf Plus BiFuel is safer and more durable than aftermarket solutions

Wolfsburg / Leipzig, March 2009. In a world premiere at the Auto Mobil International in Leipzig, Volkswagen is presenting the new Autogas (LPG) version of the Golf Plus. Its bivalent drive – it is easy to switch over to gasoline driving – reduces costs and emissions. When the Golf Plus BiFuel is powered by LPG (Liquefied Petroleum
Gas), its environmen tal balance sheet shows a greater than 10 percent reduction in CO2 emissions when matched up with a comparable gasoline engine.

Safer and more durable than aftermarket solutions
The system being presented in the Golf Plus BiFuel offers significant advantages compared to aftermarket Autogas systems. For one, unlike aftermarket solutions the car has been crash tested together with allof its fuel tanks – so it is safer. Second, the engine was specificallydesigned for LPG operation and is more durable than engines originally developed for just gasoline. The long-term quality of the Golf BiFuel has been verified in extensive durability testing. A full warranty and
access to the large Volkswagen service network are pluses too. All of this is being offered at the same price as an aftermarket retrofit. In Autogas mode, the Golf Plus BiFuel’s 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine outputs a power of 72 kW / 98 PS and consumes an average of 9.8 liters of LPG per 100 kilometers (159 g/km CO2). In gasoline mode, the Golf Plus BiFuel consumes a still economical 7.5 liters Super per 100 kilometers (179 g/km CO2).

1,100 kilometer range
In addition, the Autogas tank (43 liter effective volume at storage pressure of 8 to 10 bar) – with its space-saving installation in the spare wheel recess – and the gasoline tank (55 liter) together propel the car to a theoretical range of greater than 1,100 kilometers. In pure LPG mode, the car’s range is about 440 kilometers. The network of LPG filling stations is tightly interwoven across Europe; in Germany alone there are over 4,700 filling stations. Incidentally, the filling tube for the
LPG is easy to access right next to the familiar location of its gasoline counterpart.

A bit smarter and more high-tech than crudely converted Falcons. These would make great taxis - imagine 10,000 Volkswagen Golf Plus taxis in Sydney - they are taller and roomier than a normal Golf.

The spare tyre-shaped gas tank is very interesting. No spare wheel, but then again how often do you use your spare tyre? I drove my old 40-hp Beetle for 20 years and never used it once.

The Golf Plus also has a large, useable boot space, with no intruding LPG tank, unlike all the Falcon taxis. I would think most taxi trips around town wouldn't use the boot anyway - and for those that do, such as airport pickups, the Golf Plus would be more than adequate. Let's get rid of all the Ford taxis and replace them with Volkswagens.