Lada Vesta CNG recently appeared on the market. Sales of the Lada Largus station wagon with factory gas equipment (Lada Largus CNG) have not yet begun, but you can familiarize yourself with the details of the new modification of the car now. A test drive of the Lada Largus on methane was carried out by one of the REGNUM news agency observers.
Review
The test involved a car with a mileage of 70 thousand km, which the ATS company uses as a service vehicle. Renault-Nissan K4M engine (102 hp), Renault manual transmission. The car is equipped with a package of Italian ATS equipment - Westport.
A metal-plastic cylinder (volume 90 liters) weighs 72 kilograms. It is located behind the backs of the second row of seats. On the trunk side, the cylinder is neatly covered with a plastic casing. The cylinder is designed for operating pressure from 20 to 30 MPa. It is refilled through a fitting located under the hood, equipped with a check valve. Refueling a car with such a cylinder takes no more than 10 minutes. Depending on the ambient temperature, operating pressure at the filling station, and methane density, from 18 to 22 cubic meters of compressed gas can be pumped into the cylinder.
The gas-gasoline switch button is located on the tunnel, next to the gear lever. The engine always starts on gasoline. The button is also a gas volume indicator (five LEDs).
CNG filling station infrastructure
Before the trip, this question seemed to us one of the most important. Now we consider it the most important. The car can be used within the city without any doubt. In Tolyatti, for example, where there are only two methane gas stations for a city of seven hundred thousand, this will generally cause moderate inconvenience. But when traveling around Russia everything is even worse. Our route was compiled taking into account the infrastructure of CNG filling stations, which are located in Togliatti, Syzran, Penza, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga and Smolensk. That is why we were forced to deviate from the shortest route and drive into the city.
To obtain up-to-date information, we used the website AGNKS.RU, where up-to-date user information on all methane gas stations in Russia is collected in map format.
To obtain up-to-date information, we used the website AGNKS.RU, where up-to-date user information on all methane gas stations in Russia is collected in map format.
In some cities, we could choose from two gas stations, making it more comfortable to plot our route in the navigator. Theoretically, we could cover the entire route using methane. But one of the tasks was to find out what the real power reserve is on one cylinder. So we flew through the first refueling in Syzran (only a few hundred meters from the M5 highway) “in full sail” and assumed that there would be enough methane to reach Penza (the path from Tolyatti to Penza is 350 km). Not enough.
Test Drive
On Largus we drove a section of the Togliatti - Stavropol - Togliatti road with HBO. Average methane consumption is about 6 cubic meters/100 km. The average gasoline consumption was 10 l/100 km.
Note: When using gas, the system also consumes gasoline. This was done to reduce the combustion temperature of the mixture, which reduces the thermal effect on the engine when using gas. According to rough estimates, gasoline consumption is 1-1.5 l/100 km.
When using gas, the car noticeably loses power (It feels like about 8-10 horsepower).
We calculate the benefits over 400 km of travel
:
- GAS + gasoline: (24 cubic meters of gas for 12 rubles = 288 rubles) + (6 liters of gasoline for 40 rubles = 240 rubles) = 528 rubles.
- Gasoline: (40 liters of gasoline at 40 rubles = 1600 rubles.
Total: 528/1600 rubles.
Previously, Vesta with LPG was tested on the same section of the road. It was not possible to get the same savings on the Largus with LPG, this is due to a different power unit and the greater mass of the Largus itself. It is worth considering the weight of the cylinder.
Now the bulk of bi-fuel Largus are used in Gazprom’s corporate fleet in various regions of Russia. Also used as official transport for a number of departments in Tatarstan. Its sales will begin soon in the showrooms of official LADA dealers. The price of the Lada Largus CNG has not been officially announced; it is expected to be 30,000 - 40,000 rubles higher than the serial price.
You can learn more about the technical characteristics of the car here.
Keywords: Lada Largus cng
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Motorists' experience
The main engine for all bodies is a 1.6-liter unit. Its younger version with 8 valves can produce 87 horsepower. Fuel consumption per 100 km of this configuration is 8.2 liters. There is also a version with 16 valves, the power of which is already 102 horsepower. Its basic consumption rate is at around 7.9 liters. It was also planned to install another version of the engine, which would have a volume of 1.8 liters and a power of 122 horsepower. However, it was installed only in new models - Vesta and X-ray. All engines are paired with a manual transmission, which has five operating modes.
Technical disadvantages of gas equipment using methane
Whether the points below can be considered disadvantages is a moot point. Rather, these are the features that the equipment has. After all, there are no ideal designs, but there are always opportunities to overcome the negative influence of individual components of any device.
Large gas cylinder weight
The argument that it is heavy is countered by the fact that now there are cylinders that are not entirely metal and polymer. They have significantly less weight. The issue of their cost is relevant, but it must be considered in conjunction with the operating efficiency of such gas equipment.
Expensiveness of the kit and its installation
Installing this equipment costs about 55 thousand rubles. The propane kit is about half the price. You can become its owner for about 25 thousand rubles. This is an option with a toroidal cylinder placed in the spare wheel storage area. If a regular cylindrical cylinder is used, then this is another two thousand rubles less.
This cost of gas treatment with methane is recovered in a relatively short period of time. This is discussed further in the article.
Loss of engine power
Loss of power occurs and is felt especially when starting to move after a complete stop. There is some inconvenience while driving, but knowing this feature, you just need to take it into account when maneuvering. This dynamic is fully compensated by the savings in fuel costs.
Having adapted to the behavior of the car, the habit of driving this way comes, and in the future the feeling of discomfort goes away. Here it should be emphasized that each driver has his own driving style. For some, more energetic in nature, this behavior of the car is inconvenient and annoying. But for others, calm and balanced, it does not pose a problem at all.
In the dynamics of a car, a lot depends, firstly, on the quality of gas equipment using methane. Secondly, from its correct adjustment.
Lack of gas stations
The small number of CNG filling stations (automatic gas filling compressor station), where methane is pumped into the car’s cylinder, is still a serious disadvantage. But for residents of big cities and suburbs, this does not apply. Such gas stations are already available here, and not even in single quantities. Moreover, if the car is used intensively and the route goes past them.
Propane or methane: which is better? Owner reviews
| What is the fuel consumption of the Lada Largus and on what factors does it depend? Currently, the new Largus can only be purchased with two VAZ engines, 8 and 16 valves, which we have already described in detail in our articles. The LADA Largus CNG van was created on the well-proven B0 platform of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance, which provides for the possibility of using a wide variety of power plants; this potential was laid down during the design process of the vehicle. |
| Lada Largus with engine 21129 reviews from owners This is red Fire Red 124, gray-beige Basalt Gray 242, dark brown Cashmere 283, blue Diplomat 424, black Black Pearl 676 and silver Platinum 691. The previous owner beat it up pretty badly, the engine was completely destroyed , the fuel consumption rate did not fit into any framework, besides, the engine ate oil, the exhaust gases had a pronounced black color. |
- A driving style in which it is necessary to constantly brake sharply and pick up speed just as sharply;
- The need to stand in traffic jams;
- Parking with the engine running;
- Lower fuel quality.
Safety
Here are some more interesting numbers. Filling with methane occurs at an operating pressure of 200 atmospheres. The cylinder manufacturer tests it at a pressure 1.5 times higher - 300 atmospheres (this is a requirement of Rostechnadzor). According to regulatory documentation, one cylinder from a batch is tested to the point of rupture - at least 480 atmospheres. From test practice, as ATS company specialists say, Vesta and Largus cylinders burst at 500 atmospheres.
Another concern among car enthusiasts is possible leaks during refueling. We did not smell any foreign odors. A minor inconvenience due to your safety: passengers will be asked to leave the car. Fueling our car never took more than four minutes.
Types of Lada Largus car and technical characteristics
Cars of the Largus family are available in several modifications:
- a basic 5-door passenger station wagon equipped with liquid or gaseous fuel engines;
- improved Cross, designed for traveling on country roads;
- a cargo van that comes with both gasoline engines and units with a combined power system (liquid fuel or injection of a mixture of propane and butane);
- a special-purpose van or station wagon equipped with a body with a standard or raised roof.
All modifications are built on a unified chassis with front drive wheels and a transversely mounted power unit with a 5-speed manual transmission. The engine is equipped with forced liquid cooling and electronically controlled fuel injection systems.
Through the use of a catalytic converter with a dual oxygen sensor and modifications to the engine design, exhaust toxicity was reduced to meet Euro 5 standards.
The vehicles use an independent front suspension with MacPherson struts and lower control arms mounted on hinges. The steering is power-assisted and rack-and-pinion; an airbag is installed in the steering wheel hub by default. At the rear, a semi-independent design with a torsion beam and 2-way hydraulic shock absorbers is used. The brake system is hydraulic, the front hubs are equipped with disc mechanisms, and the rear hubs are equipped with drum mechanisms with automatic clearance adjustment.
Lada Largus is a basic 5-door passenger station wagon.
Technical parameters of a 5-seater station wagon with a VAZ-21129 engine:
- body length - 4470 mm;
- front overhang - 795 mm;
- wheelbase - 2905 mm;
- rear overhang - 770 mm;
- height - 1670 mm;
- width (on the sides of the doors) - 1750 mm;
- ground clearance - 170 mm;
- luggage compartment capacity - 560 l;
- speed on the highway - up to 170 km/h;
- acceleration time to 100 km/h - 13.4 seconds.
What is the fuel consumption of a Lada Largus on the highway - Owner reviews
Car owners note that fuel consumption when operating a car is 8.5-9.0 liters, subject to quiet driving in city traffic and on the highway. Engine model VAZ 21129 HR16DE H4M VAZ 21179 Designation 1.6 l, 16-cl 1.8 l, 16-cl Type Gasoline, 4-cylinder, in-line Displacement, l cm 3 1.6 1596 1.6 1596 1, 8 1774 Cylinder diameter, mm 82 78 82 Piston stroke, mm 75.6 83.6 84 Compression ratio 10.5 10.7 10.3 Number of camshafts 2 Number of valves per cylinder 4 Timing drive type Toothed belt Chain Toothed belt If broken timing belt Valve bend Valve bend Rated net power, kW l.
| Model/driving mode | City | Route |
| Station wagon with VAZ-11189 | 10,5 | 6,3 |
| Station wagon with VAZ-21129 | 10,0 | 6,1 |
| Van with VAZ-11189 | 10,6 | 6,7 |
| Van with VAZ-21129 | 10,4 | 6,4 |
| Cross station wagon with VAZ-21129 | 9,5 | 6,2 |
