VW chief developer Frank Welsch
01.02.2017
Why does the 150- PS variant of the new TSI engine more than its predecessor?
W elsch: In the past we have at To determine the consumption information in the brochure, we used the tolerances within the legally permitted limits - as do many of our competitors. We are no longer doing this to the same extent, so that the information in the brochure approximates the real consumption of the customers.
Nobody believes you at the moment, right?Welsch: I think the decision is the right one. Our credibility has suffered. Now we have to convince with good products and transparency.
You need a second battery for the new sailing function of the 130 PS TSI. Why not a 48-volt mild hybrid?Welsch: That is currently still very expensive. We are working intensively on this technology, but it is not yet ready for mass production. That will certainly take another three to five years, with a niche model it might work earlier.
What will the drive mix look like at VW in ten years?Welsch: Based on our current forecasts based on future legal requirements and the advances in technical development, we expect that in the future most of our vehicles will be equipped with internal combustion engines and partial electrification, i.e. hybrids. Up to 25 percent will be electrically powered vehicles.
Do you still need a completely new generation of combustion engines by then?Welsch: That is ultimately a matter of definition. There will certainly be further improvements within the engines, but a lot is also happening around them - the 48-volt hybrid is one example, electrically operated ancillary units another. We try, figuratively speaking, to make the best possible use of every drop of gasoline. From today's perspective, we will probably not need a completely new generation of engines. The combustion engine must and will still move a good bit.
