Light Green VW options
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IN Volkswagen is set to become the first light commercial importer to offer exhaust catalysts as options on its KX van range early next year.
The catalyst option is expected to add around £100 to the cost of the Polo and Golf vans, and a little more for the Caddy, Transporter and LT ranges. Only the Toyotadesigned VW Taro pickup will not be offered with a catalyst.
The type of catalyst fitted to the smaller vans will be a three-way running "uncontrolled", with carburettors instead of fuel injection. This sort of catalyst can absorb 50% of pollutants in ideal conditions, although it is not as good as a "controlled" three-way catalyst at reducing nitrogen oxide (N0x) emission. Volkswagen Most Volkswagen vans will get a catalyst option by early next year: the add-on cost for the smaller vehicles is expected to be around L'100. Loins that emissions of NOx .tre low in smaller engines anyway, as they run lean petrol/air mixtures as standard.
Catalyst-option petrol engines are already fitted to VW passenger cars, and the company says it has been able to reduce the add-on cost through economies of scale.
It has made this move because it feels "the market is moving much quicker than anyone expected" towards catalyst fitment. Light CV operators have not been at the forefront of calls for environmentally friendly engines, but many have been able to make savings through the cheaper price of unleaded fuel in the UK.
Volkswagen hopes to tempt them to fit catalysts, by keeping the add-on cost low.