Audi A3 Sportback after g-tron, the A4 Avant debut g-tron and A5 Avant g-tron, which run on natural gas and only notes … in your pocket.

Audi launches thoroughly natural gas engines. After an A3-tron g (when it was still known as TCNG), to mid-July 2017 put on sale a A4 g-tron and a A5 Sportback g-tron. Until then the prices will not be known, but from Germany maximum interest is definitely open this third alternative fuel compared to diesel and gasoline.

For the user, apart from a clear conscience by low CO2 emission natural gas engines, is their reduced consumption (4.4 kg / 100 km in the A4-tron g and 4.3 kg / 100 km in the A5 Sportback g-tron) and a fuel cost at this time round 0.9 euros per kilo of gas in Spain (though you can find much cheaper).

Audi g-tron: delay to make pressure

We had reported that the Audi A4 g-tron reach the market at the end of 2016, but in 2012 knew their plans to develop and-gas (syngas methane obtained from renewable sources). Finally, they decided to wait to July to launch both g-tron in body A4 Avant and A5 Sportback, … once and for all. Cars are technically identical, based on the 2.0 TFSI quasi-Miller cycle, which Audi technicians refer to as “cycle-B”. In a clean integration in which 29 new parts are incorporated, the engine wins compression to 12.6: 1 to take advantage of the 130 octane natural gas. It could increase much more, although “planted” rather than risk detonation if run on gasoline. We assume that this circumstance may not almost ever, the current low price of natural gas, its main reason for being (better, his second, because the reason that matters to the brand and States to support natural gas, is its reduced CO2 emissions).

And operating the Audi g-tron

The new Audi A4 and A5 g-tron g-tron tear gas and gas move while remaining in the tank; If it runs automatically switches to gasoline. (Strictly speaking, when there are only 0.6 kilos gas makes switching). Driver no key to choose how fuel circular to “please” the legislator, who wants the car with gas actually flowing gas. With that you receive a rating of eco-car. There is only two circumstances which starts with gasoline. The first is fair after topping, to balance pressures and establish the purity of the fuel (which could take other hydrocarbons, oxygen, etc., and these are dispensed at a lower price). The second time start with gasoline is below -11 ° C, something that can be considered rare. No button to switch between fuels, it is impossible to know which behaves better, but nothing would make you suspect that this is not a conventional gasoline engine.

Even the Miller cycle (also works well with gas), with its change to Otto cycle to step on, sit in any form or pull, or noise … no smells, just missing the spare wheel (The space is occupied by the four deposits that host up to 200 bar 19 kilos of natural gas, giving a range of 500 km), A green LED to indicate the level of gas available and green light in the instrument cluster with the acronym CNG.

This engine is the Audi first full development in gas engine has reached the series, They recognize that have worked closely with Volkswagen, and as the future 1.0 tricilíndrico gas whose central cylinder group can function in this poor-mixing could do with the two center. This provides a much more effective operation of the catalyst is achieved.

He Audi A4 g-tron we could drive briefly pushing what can be expected from an engine 170 horses, with the silent idle and lack of vibration and noise of gasoline engines. Announced an acceleration of 8.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h. The fuel tank retains a capacity of 25 liters, which gives an additional 450 km of autonomy. When running on gasoline, the Audi A4 Avant g-tron consumes 6.5 l / 100km on the test cycle.

Future evolutions of Audi g-tron

The new ones A4-A5 g-tron are not available with quattro, but with S-Tronic, although “if the demand so requires, it could raise the wheel drive”. It seems complicated when the transmission tunnel occupies a huge muffler, because its “natural” space is occupied by the gas tanks. If in the future they could find space for all-wheel drive, also for future developments. Already they are working on a prototype that can be fed simultaneously with gas and gasoline. Also with the application of direct injection of the gas, even with many problems to solve. Nothing in ten years can not be resolved if the demand for natural gas evolves as expected. As usual, everything is possible with technology if there are enough customers for it.

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