Source: Volkswagen, Audi Expect to “Electrify” Entire Line-Up | TheDetroitBureau.com Long focused on high-mileage diesels, Volkswagen and its luxury arm Audi are suddenly getting charged up about battery power. So much so, in fact, that virtually all of the vehicles sold by both the mainstream VW and high-line Audi brands will offer some form of “electrified” options in the near future. The German brands may even start dropping some conventional gas and diesel models in favor of hybrids, plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles, officials noted during a series of interviews at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Even sibling brands Bentley and Porsche are getting into the battery act, the former planning a new plug-in SUV, and the sports carmaker coming to Frankfurt with a 600-horsepower performance model. . . . You can still find the Utube, "Meet the Volkswagens" and other anti-Prius, VW commercials. Hindsight, had there been a Prius, 'smokin tire' traction control mode, the VW Jetta fan-boys would have been quieter. Still, I welcome VW finally 'getting a clue.' Bob Wilson
Regardless their proposed advances, unless VW fixes product reliability and maintenance repair cost problems it won't matter.
i'd say tesla inspired high end bev's, but not the rest. they are looking at all the hybrids springing up around them, thanks to toyota success.
I have a VW minivan (Routan) which is really a Chrysler Grand Voyager variant. Anyways, I don't know if this if fair to say, but I'll say it anyways someone can shoot me later, but sounds a little like Germany is sold on diesel and reluctant to go to say gaso Prius, so Plug_ins for them is a way to have a popular alternate choice whereas Toyota gaso hybrids is not so popular choice there. Also in Europe they like to pay for quality, even though it costs them an arm and a leg.
Hmmm - now that VW's dirty little EPA secret is out of the box, I wonder if VW is lying about their electric objectives as well - or, could it be that KNOWING their cars run dirty, that VW's hope was to stop having to struggle with having to balance clean versus power - and that they are finally realizing that a plug will allow them to get both clean AND power - without having to lie about it. .
Yes I agree maybe they see EV as successor to diesel whereas people like quick acceleration power in their cars over there
I still remember the pleasant surprise at the instant torque of our first Prius. More than once, I jump in front for a quick lane change at a light. Bob Wilson
PSD based hybrid is older. Tesla sucessful implementation of the roadster prototype was directly mentioned by chevy and nissan as inspiring the volt and leaf. The volt and tesla inspired bmw on the i3/i8 and now their other plug-ins, bmw even raided tallent from the volt team.. I'd have to say the focus ev was inspired by the ev1 and tesla roadster. The outlander phev looks inspired by the volt inspired by tesla. That leaves us with the imev, prius phv, and ford energis. imev is a failure in everyone's book. Its part of the japanese group think. prius phv and ford energis may be inspired by the original prius and patent sharing with ford, but ...these cars don't have much of the market right now.
the article is about hybrids, plug ins and bev's, you're quoting me out of context, i don't disagree with some of your assertions. MERGED back to back posts - And keep discussion everyone about the VW scam in the thread in the diesel forum, don't corrupt this thread with that crap or could it be that vdub already knew the feds were onto them when they made the statements in the o/p?
