Volkswagen AG aims at being a major player in hybrid, EV segment
Update: New reports say that a fully-electric V-dub will be on sale in the United States by 2013 and that 3 percent of Volkswagen’s global sales will be EVs by 2018.
Volkswagen AG Group will aggressively roll out gas-electric hybrid and electric-vehicles in the next couple of years. it plans to take a leading position in battery-powered vehicle segment.
“I am deeply convinced Volkswagen will play a key role in electrifying the automotive world,” Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said.
As of right now Volkswagen has kicked off production of the Touareg Hybrid SUV and plans on launching a Jetta Hybrid in 2012. Those two will be followed by Passat and Golf hybrids a year later.
The German automaker also plans to kick of a trial fleet of all-electric E-Golf cars next year, with mass-market sales to begin in 2013 alongside the E-Up! subcompact.
Other brands in the Volkswagen Group will also start introducing green technology into their vehicles. Audi has plans to sell a Q5 Hybrid by the end of 2010 and is already working on a hybrid version of the A8 sedan. Audi will also sell a limited production run of its R8 e-tron electric supercar in 2012. Porsche on the other hand has introduced the Cayenne S Hybrid SUV and plan on selling a limited production of the 918 Spyder.
– By: Omar Rana
Source: Detroit News
