VOLKSWAGEN BlueMotion
Mindful of the company’s responsibility, production mature and near-production technologies and products are optimized to help reduce CO2 emissions and pollutants. Volkswagen gathers all of its eco-friendly innovations under an umbrella brand that signifies efficiency: BlueMotion Technologies – a pledge to the environment.
The “BlueMotion” suffix identifies vehicles whose entire concept focuses on fuel efficiency. They combine consumption-cutting measures with an equally efficient drive concept. BlueMotion is therefore a fitting response to rising fuel prices and a progressive technology that cuts CO2 emissions.
The CO2 efficiency of the BlueMotion models is achieved through the perfect interplay of the engine, gearbox, aerodynamics and tyres. Design measures that are both visible and – at first glance – invisible make all the difference. The result is a reduction in consumption of at least 0.5 l/100 km compared with the corresponding production model. And, correspondingly, lower CO2 emissions in g/km.
The principal BlueMotion measures are:
- Modified engine management with modified software.
- Reduced idle speed.
- Longer ratios for the higher gears.
- Recommendation on the most efficient gear to select.
- Optimized aerodynamics to minimize aerodynamic drag (Cx).
- Optimized tyres to reduce rolling resistance.
- Lower suspension settings.
- Start-stop system.
Marc Espolet, Automotive Engineering student at Loughborough University 
