Volvo's new methane engine with Westport tech

According to Volvo, the new 2-litre unit will offer quite spectacular performance – 245 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque. Even so, CO₂ emissions are said to be as low as 40 g/km, but only on the condition that biogas will be used as fuel. Unfortunately, figures for fossil natural gas are not yet available, but surely the CNG version will be way greener than petrol- and diesel-powered equivalents.

This new powertrain consisting of Volvo’s new Drive-E petrol engine paired with Westport’s gas technology in a highly efficient bi-fuel engine, will offer customers a very competitive combination of high performance and low emissions.

Anders H. Gustavsson, Vice President VLM Special Products, Volvo Car Group

According to Westport, car buyers are more and more on the lookout for bi-fuel CNG cars, but expect high performance and advanced technology. The company believes combining Volvo's direct-injection petrol engine with Westport's new natural gas combustion technology will provide customers exactly with what they want in a modern car.

Westport has provided a turnkey solution that includes technology research and development, production, installation and market support. As gasoline engines evolve, it is critical that OEMs offer natural gas versions of these engines that retain the expected performance while providing the environmental and economical benefits of compressed natural gas.

Anders Johansson, Managing Director, Westport Sweden

Volvo's bi-fuel models have so far only been marketed in the brand's domestic market, but Westport is ready and willing to see the cars introduced elsewhere, too. It all depends on customer demand, but if we were to point to specific markets, we'd guess CNG-powered Volvos could sell well in Italy or Germany. Will they eventually be offered there? We can't imagine why not, but let's see if Volvo finds the idea appealing enough.