Skoda has introduced its new 1.0 e-Tec mild-hybrid engine, which will go on sale in the new Octavia.
48-volt mild-hybrid
Developed from the existing 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, the e-Tec adds a 48-volt lithium-ion battery and a belt-driven starter-generator instead of a conventional alternator. It's packaged as standard with a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and it's Skoda's first-ever mild-hybrid model.
Coasting at speed
While it can't drive the Octavia along on electric power alone, the mild-hybrid can do things such as allowing the engine to coast at high speeds to help save fuel, as well as switching in the stop-start system earlier, and keeping it going for longer, when driving around town. Power for the battery is recovered from braking, and when you're accelerating, the starter-generator can chime in with a small power and torque boost.
Variable geometry turbo
The 110hp engine gets other, non-electric, fuel-saving tech too. The aluminium pistons are said to be so well balanced that the engine doesn't need a weighty, power-sapping balancer shaft to keep it smooth and refined. The turbo has variable vane geometry and operates using the fuel-efficient Miller cycle, in which the maximum torque is available 35 per cent earlier than in conventional processes. Coated cylinder liners increase the efficiency of both engines, while a fuel injection pressure of up to 350-bar ensures lower hydraulic losses and a reduced fuel delivery rate. This saves on weight and helps to improve efficiency.
The e-Tec models boast some pretty impressive CO2 figures. Even under the more stringent WLTP test, they're returning 115g/km for the hatchback 'First Edition' model, and 118g/km for the larger, heavier Combi estate model in the same trim. The e-Tec models will be joined later this year by a plug-in hybrid iV version of the Octavia, as well as a 245hp plug-in hybrid RS model.