Germany becomes first country to get Audi A3 Sportback G-Tron capable of running on compressed natural gas
Alternate fuels have been getting a big push in the recent past, particularly in Europe. Besides plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles, cars that run on compressed natural gas seem to be the next big thing. Audi had showcased the CNG run A3 Sportback at the previous Geneva Motor Show almost a year back, and now it has launched a production version of the A3 Sportback G-Tron in Germany. The A3 G-Tron is powered by a 1.4-litre TFSI spark ignition engine that generates a maximum power output of 110PS and a peak torque rating of 200Nm.
This engine can run both on petrol and compressed natural gas (CNG). The car houses two different fuel tanks under the boot floor for petrol and CNG, and comes with an instrument cluster that displays fuel levels in both fuel tanks as well. Audi is marketing its own brand of e-gas for the car. According to Audi, its e-gas is generated using green electricity, which binds as much CO2 as is released when the Audi A3 G-Tron is driven in gas mode. The vehicle consumes approximately 3.3kg of gas per 100km. Audi A3 G-Tron buyers can avail for e-gas by using a fuel card in Germany.
CNG as a fuel is popular in India as well and has been so for years. Not only is CNG a cleaner fuel compared to petrol, but it is also cheaper to buy in India. Initially, there were safety related concerns about using CNG in cars, but now with almost every car maker selling either a CNG or an LPG version of its popular cars, the acceptability levels have been on a rise. However, unlike the Audi G-Tron which was designed keeping an extra gas tank in mind (in addition to the petrol tank), all the gas powered models in India have been after thoughts. As a result, the additional tank for holding gas ends up eating into the car's luggage space, and doesn't look good either.
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