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With the launch of the new 1.5 TSI Evo2 turbocharged petrol engine, Volkswagen has made it clear that it is not giving up wholly on IC engines.

Up to now, we have become much aware of Volkswagen’s intentions in making a switch to a cleaner future by introducing more and more all-electric vehicles under its ID family. Based on Volkswagen’s versatile MEB platform specifically developed for all-electric offerings, Volkswagen has ensured that it is planning big for the greener tomorrow. Does this increased focus on all-electric offerings means that Volkswagen has kept internal combustion engines out of its focus field? Certainly not.

While carmakers are on their way of ditching IC engines gradually, Volkswagen has ensured that it is not ditching internal combustion engines altogether and is still working on its development by unveiling the latest generation of its famed 1.5 TSI petrol engine. Dubbed as TSI evo2, this new iteration of the much-acclaimed 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine has made its debut in Europe, and it will make its way to other markets in the coming months. Here, we will discuss how Volkswagen has improved the 1.5 TSI and how it will be instrumental in driving the IC engine’s fate from Volkswagen family globally.

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With the new 1.5 TSI evo2, Volkswagen has achieved lower fuel consumption figures and CO2 emissions, which will help it to become cleaner and greener than ever. The new engine has been co-developed by Volkswagen’s teams at its facilities at Wolfsburg and Salzgitter. The revised engine has made its debut in Europe under the hoods of two revamped models from the Volkswagen family, the T-Roc and T-Roc Cabriolet. However, this new engine will be introduced in other compact and midsize offerings from the Volkswagen family in the coming months.

The most significant change in the new 1.5 TSI evo2 engine introduced by Volkswagen is the evolved form of its cylinder deactivation system. Called Active Cylinder Management system, ACTplus, this engine now claims improved activation and deactivation of two cylinders and optimized combustion process with the two cylinders in action for a smoother operation.

When the ACTplus is activated, the first and fourth cylinders continue to operate, while the second and third cylinders do not fire at low and medium speeds and load conditions. When the accelerator is pressed again, the second and third cylinders reactivate.

To reduce emissions and make it a cleaner engine, Volkswagen has changed the positions of the three-way catalytic converter and petrol particulate filter, thus bringing them closer to the engine. This repositioning of the components has improved the efficiency of the emission control system. In an attempt to make its stand on sustainability firmer than before, Volkswagen has reduced the use of precious metals in manufacturing this engine, which goes in sync with the reduced emissions for meeting future emission norms.

Volkswagen also uses high-quality components like a variable geometry turbocharger, a high-pressure injection system working up to 350 bar pressure level, plasma-coated cylinder walls, and pistons with cast-in cooling. The TSI evo2 uses the same combustion process that the previous generation of this engine, the 1.5 TSI evo1, follows. In this engine, the inlet valves with high compression close early, while the engine is fed with a boost from Variable Turbocharger Geometry (VTG) technology.

Apart from its compliancy with future emission norms mentioned above, the new 1.5 TSI evo2 can also operate on fuels using ingredients made from renewable energy resources. Volkswagen also claims that this new engine is compatible with electrification, as it can get hybridized at various levels. Volkswagen claims to develop up to 268 hp in a plug-in hybrid version.

With this claim, the new 1.5 TSI evo2 becomes the prime IC engine to support Volkswagen’s claims of achieving a sales share of 70 percent by its electrified models by 2030. All these changes will make it future-ready to meet future emission norms, such as Euro 7. This engine will also be one of the chief powertrains for Volkswagen in developing markets, where going the all-electric way might not be a feasible option for a few more years due to the lack of charging infrastructure in those markets.

The Volkswagen 1.5 TSI Evo has remained one of the most integral parts of the EA 211 family of turbocharged inline-three and inline-four petrol engines, which made its debut almost a decade ago in 2011. Since 2012, the engines under the EA 211 family, including the 1.5 TSI, have powered millions of cars till now. Every year, Volkswagen produces four million powertrains belonging to the EA 211 family at eleven production facilities of Volkswagen.

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The first-generation version of the 1.5 TSI, the 1.5 TSI Evo1, made its debut in 2016 as a replacement for the previous-generation 1.4 TSI from the same EA 211 family. Since then, it has powered multiple popular offerings from Volkswagen. Globally, the 1.5 TSI has made its presence in cars ranging from compact SUVs like T-Cross to full-fledged sedans like the Passat.

Hailing from India, Jeo has grown up dreaming about a red-colored Porsche 911. This fascination led him to study more about cars and their functionality in his automotive engineering days from the past. His passion for writing about cars directed him towards blogging, which he has been doing for almost a decade.