Utah is a state that gets a lot of sun but not a lot of attention on these pages for their green transportation moves. Still, it does seem that the DIY crowd is strong there. Remember the homemade Ariel Atom? That's not the only homemade vehicle taking to the street in the state.

Kyle Dansie and Michael Mielke run ZEVUtah (Zero Emission Vehicles of Utah) and are two strong proponents of taking control of your transportation energy sources. The Salt Lake Tribune ran a story recently about the 1994 VW Golf that the two converted to all-electric drive with solar panels on the roof. They draw extra power from the solar panels deployed on the roof. This isn't an EV for everyone, but the 65 mph top speed and 40 mile range should be enough for most people to use on a daily basis - at least, people who can swallow the $10,000 price tag for the electric components on top of whatever it costs to buy the Golf. There's a multimedia slideshow of the converted car here and ZEVUtah contains detailed descriptions on what happened during the conversion and explains why decisions were made as they were. Very helpful if you're thinking of tinkering yourself.

[Source: Salt Lake Tribune]

The first ever season of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup wrapped up this weekend before the start of the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta. After eight races at tracks around North America since April, Josh Hurley's second place finish in the last race was enough to put him over the top for the series championship. Hurley captured the pole position for the opening race at VIRginia Internation Raceway and then ran consistently enough, including a win at Portland, to accumulate 260 points. Liam Kenney won the Road Atlanta race and finished second in the championship. The championship means Hurley earns $100,000. If Hurley manages to get a professional racing contract within the next six months, Volkswagen will give him another $250,000 toward furthering his racing career.


[Source: Volkswagen]

Volkswagen is reporting that its new 50-State legal clean diesel Jetta TDI has already sold out. U.S. dealerships had an allotment of 1,300 TDIs and those have all been spoken for. The good news is that VW of America is likely to get some more due to the popularity of the model in the States. Initial expectations were for 25-percent of sedan buyers and 33-percent of wagon buyers would go for the new diesel. In actuality, those numbers are a bit higher, with nearly a third of sedan buyers and half of all wagon buyers opting for the oil-burner.

VW says it isn't competing with the hybrid Toyota Prius, but in truth they are likely competitors in the eyes of many consumers. Though the two models run on different fuels, they are both sold primarily on the merits of their fuel savings and low emissions. What's more, they are priced fairly close to one another and both of them were efficient enough for the Feds to offer tax credits on them, though Toyota's hybrid credits have run out. In any case, VW will begin offering the TDI engine in the Rabbit sometime next year and more may be on the way after that.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

How would you like to have a mid-sized sedan or station wagon that gets over 57 mpg (U.S.)? That's exactly what Volkswagen has unveiled in Paris as the Passat BlueMotion II. It's being shown as a further evolution of the latest Passat BlueMotion, part of VW's lineup of cars optimized for low CO₂ emissions. With a common rail diesel engine that uses SCR after-treatment to the meet the 2013 EURO VI emissions standard, the CO₂ emissions are rated at only 109 g/km. In addition to the clean diesel engine, the Passat gets aerodynamic tweaks, longer gear ratios and an automatic start stop system. So far, there is no word on when the BlueMotion II will hit production, but for a car as big as the Passat to get that kind of mileage is phenomenal. Yes, I know the EU mileage rates skew high, but real world is still likely to be in the upper 40s, so sign me up.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Today we've stumbled on something that's a bit outside the normal realm of green transportation, but it fits nicely on our pages anyway. After all, what's greener than recycling something that otherwise had used up its usefulness? For vacationers in Hawaii, there are surely a huge number of choices when it comes time to choose a place to stay, but if travelers want something a little outside of the ordinary, they can consider spending the night in an old Volkswagen Camper Van that's been converted into a stationary shelter. There are currently two buses to choose from, each with a slightly different theme. Both vehicles have two beds, one up top and one inside, along with solar lighting and an ocean view.

After reading through the extensive list of what each vehicle offers, it's clear that the people in charge really care about their environment. Everything inside and outside was chosen for its low eco-impact, including the chemicals used to clean the two buses up. This is definitely a different way to spend a few days in paradise.



[Source: Lova Lava Land via Ecofriend]

Volkswagen is currently running a twenty strong test fleet of Twin-Drive Golfs in and around Berlin Germany and the results of this work are expected to hit the retail market around 2011. The current test models are using diesel engines but the production versions are likely to switch to gasoline when their 30-mile electric range has been expended. With coming EURO VI emissions standards that approach the U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 standards, a diesel hybrid would simply be too expensive to be commercially viable. The drivetrain layout of the Twin-Drive is different from the approach being used by current parallel hybrids or extended range EVs like the Volt. While the Volt ER-EV is a series hybrid setup where only the electric motor is mechanically coupled to the wheels, the Golf is a parallel system but without a transmission. The single reduction gear ratio is comparable to a normal high gear and the torque of the electric motor is used to provide the equivalent of the torque multiplication that is normally achieved with a lower gears. The absence of a conventional gearbox compensates for some of the added weight of the battery and motor. A 12 kWh Sanyo lithium ion battery pack provides 30 miles of driving range and energy storage from the regenerative braking.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Despite the fact that the sixth-generation of VW's insanely popular hatchback has yet to hit the driveways of actual customers, speculation on gen-seven is already well underway. Number-six continues the tradition of enlarging each successive model-year, but that trend is set to come to an end after this redesign. Europe is currently working on legislation to limit carbon emissions and the U.S. is set to cap manufacturer's fuel efficiency at a much more stringent rate that what we have now. Therefore, the Golf, or Rabbit in the States, should shed a few pounds in its Extreme Makeover and will likely get some smaller entry-level engines. We'd imagine that Volkswagen is hard at work on diesel engines, especially considering the buzz surrounding the Jetta TDI these days, as well as small gasoline engines with forced induction. Whatever happens, expect efficiency to take top priority as the years pass by.


[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd]

If you are a fan of the diesel engine - and Volkswagen's TDI engine series in particular - VW would love it if you'd go ahead and spread your love of the oil-burner with your family and friends. Of course, having the only 50-state legal diesel on the market, at least for a little while, the automaker stands to benefit from whatever pent-up demand there may be for efficient and clean diesels. Offering its Jetta in either sedan or wagon wagen forms, the German automaker hopes it has something to please everyone.

With consumer perception of diesel engines in America still mired in the '70s and 80s era of mediocrity, VW will need all the advocates it can get to help educate the masses on the benefits of the compression ignition engine. Based on our first impressions, at least the automaker is starting off with a good product. Based on the success of this model, VW will make decisions on what other models to bring across the pond.


[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd]

It's been reported that Eaton will be providing superchargers for use on the 1.4L TSI engines for the MK VI Golf including the Rabbit-badged version sold in the U.S. market. The 1.4L TSI is a direct injected four cylinder engine that's been offered in multiple power levels for a variety of European Volkswagen models for the past two years. The top 140 and 170 hp versions use a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger to give a performance boost through the engine speed range. The TSI engines provide output matching larger 1.6-2.0L engines with superior fuel economy. The MK VI Golf debuts at the Paris Motor Show next week and goes on sale in the U.S. as the Rabbit next fall. Volkswagen has not yet responded to a request for comment. If the 1.4L TSI joins the U.S. lineup it will join the new 2.0L TDI and hopefully replace the current 2.5L five cylinder.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The EcoTour was a 7-day tour through nine European countries with 42 of the most fuel-efficient cars. The tour started 12 September in Barcelona, Spain, and finished 19 September in The Hague in the Netherlands. The target was burning the least fuel possible during the seven days. There were two winners for each day: one absolute, and one for each category, as well as a final global winner: The Seat Ibiza Ecomotive, which averaged fuel consumption of 3.80 l/100 km (61.90mpg U.S.), and was driven by F.A. van Heijningen and N.A. van Heijningen-de Kok from the Netherlands. The event offset its carbon emissions via BP's target-neutral program (€0.18 for each tank of normal gasoline, diesel or LPG and as much as €0.36 for each tank of BP Ultimate premium fuels). Follow us after the jump to see the complete results.


[Source: Seat and Eco Tour]

Volkswagen will be debuting a new BlueTDI version of the mid-sized Passat at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. The BlueTDI Passat uses the same 2.0L common rail injected turbodiesel as the new U.S.-spec Jetta TDI. However, unlike the smaller Jetta which can meet NOx reduction requirements with a lean NOx trap, the Passat uses a urea injection system. The result is a slight bump in output from 140 to 143 hp while fuel consumption is reduced from 42 mpg (U.S.) on the existing Passat sedan to 45.2 mpg (U.S.) on the EU combined cycle. The Variant wagon version with BlueTDI now manages 42.8 mpg (U.S.). The urea injection SCR system allows the Passat to meet 2014 EURO VI emissions requirements when it goes on sale in Europe in early 2009. We likely won't see a diesel in a mid-sized VW in the U.S. until the next-generation replacement starts production in Tennessee sometime in early 2011.

[Source: Volkswagen]

There's a question that's sure to be on the minds of many of our devout readers: does the new Jetta TDI come close to the Prius when it comes to fuel mileage? We've had our first impression, and we'll see for ourselves soon enough when we get our hands on a new TDI for a long-term test, but Popular Mechanics has done some of the footwork for us already. In a test that wound its way both through California's inner trenches - the surface streets in LA *shudder* - along with some a good deal of snaking blacktop in between, the crew at PM kept separate logs for both city and highway mileage, all the time with a view towards fuel mileage. So, who won? Um, depends.

The Jetta bettered the Prius by less than one mile per gallon on the highway, as it rode its abundant torque to a mild victory. In the city, which is the traditional edge for the all hybrids, the Prius earned its fuel mileage crown back by besting the TDI by over ten miles per gallon. Plus, diesel fuel still costs a bit more than regular unleaded. That's not the whole story, though, as PM still preferred to spend time in the Jetta's interior. So, which do you choose? Why not tell us yourself in the comments.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

It is anything but surprising that Volkswagen will debut a new GTI, the traditional sporting model of its mainstream Golf. What is a bit more surprising, though, is that there will be two other performance editions of the original hot hatch from which to choose, at least in Europe. One of them is the R-model, which should come from the factory with a super-hot 270-horsepower engine along with all-wheel-drive. While that's cool and all, the real shocker comes in the form of the Golf GTD. That model will come to the party with a high-performance diesel engine making 170-horsepower and somewhat more torque. Automotive News claims that the new hi-po diesel will hit the European market in April of 2009. Since we are just now getting diesels from VW in America, we're not exactly holding our breath for the GTD stateside. You can bank on the GTI making it on our shores shortly after the regular gen-6 Golf Rabbit.


[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Back in 2007, when Volkswagen was kicking off its Dieselution tour, we asked VW of America CEO Stefan Jacoby about official support for biodiesel concentrations higher than five percent. At the time there was no national standard for B20 biodiesel blends and Volkswagen would not provide warranty coverage for engines that used higher concentrations. However, Jacoby indicated that once a fuel standard was in place, the company would revisit the issue. Last June, a B20 standard was finalized, and it goes into effect in October. During the Jetta TDI drive last week, ABG asked about B20 use in the new car and VW communications director Steve Keyes responded that VW was not yet prepared to support B20 use. The new standard is primarily targeted at commercial fuels and supported fuels are still not widely available. There are concerns that the higher bio concentrations will result in excessive ash build-up in the particulate filter and other issues. Mercedes gave ABG a similar response in June when we drove the BlueTec diesel SUVs. Both companies will continue monitoring the fuel situation and the situation may change in the future.

Apparently, this hasn't stopped the proprietor of DieselGreen fuels in Austin TX. Jason Burroughs has just bought a brand new 2009 Jetta that he is running on B100. Burroughs is documenting his experience with the pure biofuel manufactured by New Energy Fuels of Houston on the TDIClub Forums. So far he hasn't had any issues, but plans to regularly test the condition of the engine oil and post updates on his progress. For those planning to buy a new Jetta or any other diesel vehicle, we don't recommend following this path while your vehicle is still under warranty. If you get some bad fuel, you could be out many thousands of dollars. However, if you are doing this let us know how things are progressing, because biodiesel has a great deal of potential.


[Sources: TDIClub Forum, DieselGreen]

Back in June we told you about a test that Top Gear did with a Toyota Prius and BMW M3. At the time, the Top Gear crew ran a Prius around their test track as fast as they could for 10 laps with Jeremy Clarkson pacing right behind it in a BMW M3. Not surprisingly, the Prius - which is not designed for this kind of application - scored a comparatively poor 14.3 mpg (U.S.) in the test. As we all know, driving style does affect mileage which we again demonstrated this week during our drive of the Jetta TDI. The driving we did in the southern California canyons was at least as strenuous what Top Gear did to the Prius and we managed a much more impressive 30.7 mpg. While the Top Gear air field track is flat, the Jetta drive route included significant and repeated elevation changes as well as a 20 degree temperature swing from about 73 along the coast up to over 90 further inland. Altogether, a very impressive performance by the German diesel even without any start stop or hybrid capability.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: AutoblogGreen]