In an effort to meet the upcoming Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) targets, Skoda India plans on introducing a new variant lineup. According to reports, the new, more fuel-efficient variants of the cars will get the GreenLine badge. The GreenLine variants of the vehicles will get additional tech and tweaks to improve their fuel efficiency. Additionally, the variant lineup will help Skoda cars to meet the CAFE targets. It’s been a while since Skoda used the badge on its cars, even in Europe.
There are no confirmations on the changes the models will get. One of the tweaks could include a taller final drive ratio. The change results in the car travelling further for each revolution of the engine. The result is a significant reduction in fuel consumption. The models will also feature low-rolling-resistance tyres. The use of low rolling resistance tyres decreases drag, and hence, less fuel is used. The gains are small in the short term but add up considerably over the life of the car.
The models could also use hybrid and energy recuperation systems. These systems could include integrated starter generators and motors. These help with recuperating energy back that is otherwise lost to a battery. The company will also introduce new ECO drive modes. Other companies use this as well but combined with these, and they will have a larger overall impact. Internationally, GreenLine models have a lower ride height for improved aerodynamic efficiency. Skoda could lower the Indian models as well. However, lowering them could affect the models’ ability to handle Indian road conditions.
Skoda will also use other fuel-saving technology on the GreenLine variants to obtain CAFE credits. For example, a regenerative braking system, idle Start-Stop system, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and transmission with six or more gears has a factor of 0.98. Thus, reducing the CO2 target for individual vehicles using the various multiplication factors.
Also Read: Skoda bumping up Slavia 1.5L production, good demand