The Skoda Octavia Scout won’t be the Czech carmaker’s only premiere at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The Octavia lineup will also receive a natural gas variant for the first time, the Octavia G-TEC. Available both as a saloon and estate, the Octavia G-TEC will be Skoda’s second natural gas model alongside the Citigo.
The car is powered by a bi-fuel engine that runs on natural gas or petrol. The unit is a 1.4-liter TSI petrol engine producing 109hp (110PS) designed for CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). The G-TEC package also includes a Start-Stop System and regenerative braking, which helps the powertrain meet the Euro6 emission standards.
On CNG alone, the Octavia G-TEC can travel up to 410 km (255 miles) without refueling, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 97 g/km. On petrol, the car has a range of up to 920 km (572 miles). Combined range of the Octavia G-TEC is 1,330 km (827 miles). When running on CNG, the engine averages 3.5 kg (5.4 cubic meters) per 100 km.
“The natural gas engine is an important element in the Skoda sustainability strategy and and is now making its way into our best-selling model series,” said Dr. Frank Welsch, Skoda Board Member for Technical Development. “Using CNG technology makes sense, as it combines environmentally-friendly mobility with affordability,” he added.
Of course, while the fuel itself is cleaner than gasoline, the way it is extracted (mostly via the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing) in my view doesn’t make it that appealing on the long run. It’s equally unsustainable as owning an electric car that runs on electricity produced by burning coal.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
