Two tanks for fewer exhaust gases – with a combined drive system of gasoline and natural gas, the VW Bus T5 can already significantly reduce emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides in 2009. The vehicle was developed by IAV.

The slogan “I can also do EUR5 in natural gas mode” sounded bold, but it hit the nail on the head. Even before the new emissions standard and stricter EU requirements for nitrogen oxides (NOx) came into force, IAV had developed a natural gas drive system for the VW T5 with a Euro 4-capable engine in 2009 that even complied with Euro 6 limits. In addition, the van emitted up to 25 percent less CO2 in natural gas mode than in gasoline mode.

The basis for the bivalent drive was a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 115 hp. Depending on the version, the 24-liter gas tank was installed in the interior or as an underfloor variant. An average consumption of 8.2 kg of natural gas enabled a range of 280 kilometers in gas-only mode. Together with the contents of the 80-liter gasoline tank, the T5 had a total range of over 1000 kilometers.

IAV served the market, provided customer service and, together with partners, sold over 2500 units of the T5 CNG. “We did this as a general contractor,” says Jens Hinze, who has been with IAV since 2008 and was responsible at the time in the Volkswagen T5 context for many functions ranging from acquisition to homologation and after-sales.