Volkswagen has claimed to be the first automaker to implement cylinder shut-off on a four-cylinder TSI engine in high-volume production.
The primary goal of the high-tech system is to reduce fuel consumption significantly by temporarily shutting off two of the four cylinders under low to medium loads. Cylinder shut-off reduces fuel consumption of the 1.4-litre TSI by 0.4litre/100 km in the NEDC driving cycle. When start/stop functionality is integrated, which deactivates the engine in neutral gear, the savings effect adds up to about 0.6litre/100km.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The greatest benefits of the cutting edge technology are realised while driving at constant moderate speeds, VW said. At 50km/h, in third or fourth gear, savings amount to nearly 1l/100 km. This new fuel efficient TSI will also meet the future EU6 emissions standard.
Cylinder shut-off is active whenever engine speed is between 1,400 and 4,000 rpm and torque is between 25 and 75 Nm. This applies to nearly 70% of the driving distance in the EU fuel economy driving cycle. As soon as the driver presses the accelerator pedal sufficiently hard, cylinders two and three are reactivated imperceptibly. The system takes its information from the accelerator pedal sensor to detect the mode of driving. If the driving exhibits a non-uniform pattern – for example, while driving in roundabout traffic or in a sporty style on a country road – shut-off functionality is automatically suppressed.
