VW Outlines Ambitious Electric and Hybrid Drive Plans; Targeting 3% Electric Vehicle Market Share Within Entire Product Range by 2018
01 March 2010
Volkswagen is planning an ambitious electric and hybrid drive vehicle strategy. The company is targeting a test fleet of 500 Golfs with electric drive for 2011. Starting in 2013, the electric E-UP (earlier post) goes into production, followed by the E-Golf and the E-Jetta at the end of the year. In subsequent years, a modular E-traction approach will systematically extend electrification to other model series.
At the Geneva Motor Show beginning this week, Volkswagen is showing the Touareg hybrid. (Earlier post.) The Jetta Hybrid will debut in August 2012, the Passat Hybrid in August 2013 followed two months later by the Golf Hybrid.
Volkswagen anticipates high volume production of Golf and Jetta hybrid and electric vehicle models by 2013, according to Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG.
The goal is to become the market leader in E-mobility by the year 2018. We want to attain an electric vehicle market share of three percent within our entire range of products. We will take the hybrid out of its niche status with our high-volume models. In the future, the heart of the brand will also beat with electricity.
—Prof. Dr. Winterkorn
The electric car is already technically capable of short ranges of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles), Volkswagen notes, and so, its various brands will be conducting field studies in key strategic markets of Europe, North America and China in upcoming months. An important intermediate step is Group-wide implementation of hybrid technology in production vehicles.
This technological competence will be advanced in Volkswagen’s modular strategy of flexibly integrating hybrid and E-drives over a wide variety of vehicle platforms in all of the Group brands. We will continue to systematically exploit the potential of internal combustion engines with the goal of significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. So over the mid-term, vehicles with electric drives and those with internal combustion engines will co-exist.
—Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Group Chief Officer for Electric Traction
No, Nissan Renault planning to make 500.000 EV in 2013 out of 6 million cars in total that is ambitious.1), 2). That is 8.3% of Nissan Renault’s total production by 2013!
It is still very important that VW also begins to invest in EVs as it will increase innovation and accelerate the introduction of EVs into the mainstream. The Passat and the Golf hybrids are also exciting news from VW as these vehicles are some of the most important of VW’s volume vehicles. The Blue Motion Golf already is rated at 25km/l just as the Prius on the European cycle. If it gets hybrid technology as well it could become 20% more fuel efficient than the Prius.
Source 1, 6 million cars
Source 2, 500000EVs
Posted by: Account Deleted | 01 March 2010 at 07:04 AM
Another start in the right direction. By 2015/2016 all manufacturers may have a few electrified vehicles on the market, total sales may be a few million/year.
Posted by: HarveyD | 01 March 2010 at 08:07 AM
We could see 1 million HEV/PHEV/EVs sold every year in the U.S. out of 200 million cars on the road. This is why new car FFVs will put 50 million on the road in 5 years running $1 per gallon methanol. If we want to reduce oil imports, this must be done.
Posted by: SJC | 01 March 2010 at 10:25 AM
The future worldwide market for electrified vehicles is up to 100,000,000 vehicle/year.
China and India may constitute the major share followed by Europe and USA/Canada. On a continental basis, Asia will probably represent a better future market than Europe and America.
Light weight future e-cars (like current ICE vehicles) can be shipped worldwide. JVs with Chinese and Indian firms, like the BYD-Mercedes recent JV, will play a major role. To survive, New GM, Ford and Chrysler-Fiat will also have to have joint-manufacturing facilities in China-India-Korea etc.
The future does not look that good for UAW unless they become more productive and competitive.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 March 2010 at 08:26 AM
"The future worldwide market for electrified vehicles is up to 100,000,000 vehicle/year."
I would like to see your source for that statement. I am not sure that many cars in general are sold worldwide now.
How far into the future, what is the definition of electrified and what reputable source is making that claim?
Posted by: SJC | 02 March 2010 at 10:19 AM
SJC:
The world is currently using about 1.05 B vehicles and USA about 250 M. Worldwide vehicles are mostly ICE technology. The transition to electrified units (HEV, PHEV and BEV) has started (over 1.5 M produced) and will gain speed early in the current decade.
Vehicle's production in 2009 peaked at an annual rate of 90 M and will go over 100 M annual rate sometime in 2010.
Total fleet will reach 2+ B before 2030. If 50% are electrified units, something like 1 B e-vehicles could be on the market by 2030.
Not all those e-vehicles will be Hummer size. The majority will be common sense smaller, lighther 3 and 4 wheelers (carrying one to four people. The majority may be used in Asia.
By 2030, Asia alone will use over 1 B e-bikes. China plans to have over 400 M e-bikes by 2020 and many more by 2030.
Including e-bikes, the world will have 2+ B e-vehicles by 2030.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 March 2010 at 01:01 PM
You are saying that 1 billion cars will be replaced by EVs in the future. Good luck with that prediction.
Posted by: SJC | 02 March 2010 at 02:02 PM
This was a very informative article about VW's ambitious plan regarding green vehicles. Because of the steps all of these car companies are making, it is forcing other companies and society to take notice and understand the future of green vehicles and the people driving them. A great website that has more information about green vehicles is http://www.greencollareconomy.com and they have a green vehicle directory at http://www.greencollareconomy.com/Green_Directory/green-transportation/
Posted by: Megan | 05 March 2010 at 04:07 AM
Megan, thanks for the spruik of your web site, but if you want this audience, getting an EV section would be a good start - you have all the other less interesting "alternative fuels" with their own section.
Posted by: ET | 05 March 2010 at 11:29 AM