VW Group stands firm on petrol particulate filters

Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA) says it will continue to push back on greener engines fitted with petrol particulate filters until Australian fuel standards dramatically improve.

Audi Australia is also set to follow suit with the exception of models that are only available with particulate filters – the upcoming RS3 being an example.

This week’s confirmation of the new Skoda Superb Scout adopting a particulate filter in Australia had sparked speculation that more models from Volkswagen Group would offer the technology. In the past, VW has vehemently pushed back on such engines because of the high sulphur content present in Australia petrol.

The limited-edition Scout will be sold in Australia on the strict recommendation that customers use 98 RON premium unleaded fuel.

"This particulate filter can withstand petrol with 50 parts per million of sulphur, but it must be understood that these cars can run only on premium unleaded," Skoda Australia chief Michael Irmer said.

Under current requirements, Australian 91-octane unleaded has a sulphur limit of 150 parts per million (150ppm), while 95 and 98-octane premium fuels have a cap of 50ppm. Among developed nations in the OECD, only Mexico has worse petrol quality.

Worse still, a draft regulatory impact statement released by the Federal Government in 2018 suggested fuel standards would go unchanged until at least 2022 to 2027 – at a time where more progressive governments including the UK are looking to fully eradicate internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as early as 2035.

Speaking with carsales.com.au, Volkswagen Australia spokesman Paul Pottinger said the Scout's Australian inclusion didn't pave the way for greener VW engines in the short term.

"The great majority of Australian petrol remains unfit for our current engines, let alone filtered engines," Pottinger said.

"So VGA really has no alternative but to continue sourcing unfiltered petrol engines for the main part.

"These engines are superior to those fielded by rival brands, even if they are not always the latest available to Volkswagen brands in Europe. But then Australia's petrol is up to 15 times more sulphurous than Europe's and the deferment of Euro 6 emission standards until 2027 is an international embarrassment.

"Having to re-test and evaluate versions of vehicles localised for Australia's retrograde conditions is time-consuming and costly," he said.

Pottinger explained that Volkswagen's Australian subsidiary would continue to assess limited-edition models like the Scout on a case-by-case basis.

The same appears true for Audi, which is set to take the particulate filter-equipped RS3 sedan and hatch being an example but will opt for the updated R8 supercar without the technology.

Audi Australia has been contacted for comment.

Elsewhere, only Peugeot offers Australian vehicles fitted with petrol particulate filters.

"Volkswagen Group Australia can try to make the case for limited editions and high performance variants with petrol particulate filters in the expectation that owners will be sufficiently invested in their vehicles not to 'under-fuel' in order to save money at the pump," Pottinger explained.

"It's outrageous that Premium Unleaded can cost 25 cents a litre more than 91RON. It has to be remembered that even if further special and performance cars with particulate filters can be accessed, premium unleaded – such as it is in Australia – is not always readily available in regional areas. So there are practical considerations to ownership.

"The solution is simple: introduce true premium petrol with less than 10 parts per million of sulphur, require that it is nationally available and ensure that the petrol companies aren't permitted to charge even more than is presently demanded for 98RON," said Pottinger.

For their part, the oil companies that run Australia's remaining refineries argue the cost to upgrade their facilities would be uneconomic and would impose more costs to consumers.

Calls to simply import all of Australia’s fuel, as is the case in New Zealand, have been met with opposition amid fears over security and job cuts.