| Volkswagen, world's fourth largest car | | | | Dr. Jürgen Leohold, director of |
| manufacturer after GM, Toyota and Ford | | | | Volkswagen Corporate Research, "The |
| has earlier published its powertrain | | | | high-temperature fuel cell will make the |
| roadmap which is intended to create a | | | | total system in the car lighter, more |
| petroleum-free future. Fossil fuels need | | | | compact, durable and economical." They |
| to be used as sparingly as possible. | | | | expect to start testing their new fuel |
| Hence, in an effort to clean air and | | | | cell design in vehicles in 2009, but |
| regulate the use of fossil fuels, VW | | | | don't foresee production before 2020. |
| releases a roadmap that advances auto | | | | The roadmap to an epoch free of oil is a |
| parts Volkswagen. Automaker's direct | | | | strategy of VW that integrates highly |
| injection systems (TSI), turbo-diesels | | | | innovative technologies to most |
| (TDI), and dual clutch gearboxes (DSG) | | | | excellent types of powertrains these |
| are some of the auto parts technologies | | | | days like the TDI, TSI and DSG. Clean |
| that VW is concentrating on. These | | | | TDI engines are special component of |
| modern internal combustion technologies | | | | BLUETEC. These innovative technologies |
| will be mated to electric motors in new | | | | from the automaker can be had through |
| hybrid powertrains. The diesels are also | | | | pure electrical traction. Clean TDI |
| being enhanced with the BlueTec | | | | engines are set to comply with the |
| emissions control technology from | | | | strictest emissions laws around the |
| Mercedes. Subsequently, the automaker | | | | globe. CCS is designed to serve as a key |
| will be replacing fossil fuels with | | | | technology for a society which is free |
| biofuels like cellulosic ethanol and | | | | from petroleum. On the one hand, HTFC |
| biodiesel. This is done to neutralize | | | | could serve as a breakthrough for |
| fuels carbon and avoid generating carbon | | | | hydrogen-powered vehicles. The |
| dioxide from the combustion. In | | | | prototypes of HTFC will be open for |
| addition, VW's long term goal is work on | | | | trials in 2009. In addition, the first |
| high-temperature fuel-cells (HTFC). This | | | | production versions are expected to |
| is because the automaker believes that | | | | arrive before 2020. VW will continue |
| the low-temperature being used these | | | | with its study about creating more |
| days have no bright future in the auto | | | | powerful powertrains that won't make |
| industry so it is aiming for something | | | | environment suffer. The mentioned viable |
| different yet better. According to Prof. | | | | engine types will soon invade the roads. |