Volkswagen unveils advanced four-cylinder diesel engine, sees "great potential" in solid state batteries

The new powertrain will power a wide variety of VW-brand vehicles, including the new Cross Blue sport utility vehicle (SUV), which is aimed at the US market.

Volkswagen (VW) has unveiled a new version of its EA288 turbodiesel powertrain at a technical presentation given at the company's Wolfsburg (Germany) headquarters. According to an Autocar report, the new powertrain variant delivers 14% more power than the most powerful four-cylinder diesel variant in the VW model line-up, the EA 288 unit, which was unveiled in the recently introduced Passat and develops 237bhp. The new powertrain also features as new a two-stage, electrically operated turbocharger; a piezo valve common rail injection system that operates at pressures of up to 2,500bar; and a variable valve timing system. In addition, VW CEO Martin Winterkorn has said that he sees huge potential in solid state batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). In a speech at Stanford University (US), Winterkorn said that solid-state batteries could boost EV range to about 700km and energy density of about 1,000Wh/l.