VW Golf TDI Drives Through Lower 48 States On $294.98 In Fuel

Yesterday we talked a bit about Honda and a Guinness World Record that it had set for fuel economy in Europe. Today VW has stepped up and announced that it has laid claim to a Guinness World Record for fuel economy in the US. For its record VW used a stock 2015 VW Golf TDI to travel across the lower 48 states driving a total of 8,233.5 miles.

The trip spanned 16 days, VW used Shell diesel fuel for the entire trip, and the fuel cost $294.98. Total fuel economy for the Golf TDI during the trip was 81.7 mpg besting the previous record for the same feat of 77.99 mpg by more than 3 mpg. Interestingly, the VW Golf TDI also beat the hybrid vehicle record for the same feat by more than 6 mpg.

The entire trip took 101.43 gallons of Clean Diesel fuel. The trip kicked off from VW of America HQ in Herndon, Va on Monday June 22 and returned to the same place on Tuesday July 7 after visiting all 48 contiguous states. The primary driver in the record setting run was Wayne Gerdes with co-driver Bob Winger.

The 2015 Golf TDI uses a turbo direct-injection clean diesel engine and has an EPA rated fuel economy of 45mpg when fitted with the 6-speed manual transmission. The car was fitted with a Linear Logic ScanGuage II to measure fuel economy precisely. Other gear fitted to the car to meet the Guinness World Record for fuel economy included LG G4 smartphone and Garmin nuvi LM GPS navigator.

SOURCE: VW