Audi boss Rupert Stadler has expressed his support for both diesel and natural gas powered cars in an interview with Autocar.
Not long after the boss of Jaguar Land Rover said diesel will play an important role in the future of automobiles, Stadler said that in the next decade, it will still sit alongside petrol and mild hybrids as an important fuel of choice.
“Diesel is a key technology yet the value of it as a fuel is no longer recognised,” he said. “I’d prefer to see its value through the eyes of the customer, who gets good torque, range and fuel consumption. These values should be respected, especially when we know that, for the next 10-15 years, 70-80% of the market will be diesel, petrol or mild hybrid. Even the most positive expectation is 30% pure electric.
“We are investing heavily in battery technology, but we should never forget that most mileage will be covered for a long time by vehicles with internal combustion engines. We need to have the best options for those, and restricting choice will not help,” said Stadler.
Despite many automakers turning their attention almost exclusively to hybrid and electric vehicles, Stadler believes that vehicles powered by compressed natural gas has many advantages over traditional options.
“I’m a big supporter of CNG. It’s very clean, can be stored everywhere, you get a long range and you can refuel in two to three minutes. The trouble is it has an image problem, but I’m convinced of its advantages. The strategy is right, but we need industrial partners to make it work on a wider level,” Audi’s boss said.
Audi currently offers a single CNG car, the A3 Sportback g-tron. It receives its fuel from water and CO2 or organic residual materials including straw and plant clippings. This year, the German automaker will add A4 Avant and A5 Sportback variants powered by compressed natural gas and a 2.0-liter TFSI engine delivering 168 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque.
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