The Caddy EcoFuel goes on sale this summer. The larger Caddy Maxi EcoFuel, offering an extra 1.0 m³ of loadspace, will be introduced simultaneously as another practical, alternatively-fuelled choice for green-conscious van operators.
The Caddy EcoFuel has been developed as part of Volkswagen’s broad environmental research programme. It went on sale on the Continent in 2006 where 7,500 examples were sold last year.
There are two key benefits of operating a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) -powered vehicle:
Lower, cleaner emissions
Reduced fuel costs (CNG is approximately 50 per cent less than diesel)
The greatest environmental benefit of using CNG as a fuel is the dramatic reduction of exhaust gases; for example, compared to the equivalent TDI engine carbon monoxide (CO) emissions are over 50 per cent lower, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are 97 per cent lower, and there are zero particulates.
The engine can operate on biomethane, a sustainable fuel that is now becoming commercially available from renewable sources, or CNG, which is the same gas we use for our heating and cooking at home. It also has a 13-litre petrol tank as a reserve, which is automatically and smoothly engaged should the gas supply run out.
Natural gas is a practical alternative fuel that is easy to use, with claims that there are enough natural gas reserves to last 70 to 100 years, compared to a predicted 40 years for oil.