Plug-in hybrid vehicles have quickly become one of the most popular choices for those seeking an eco-friendlier alternative to standard petrol or diesel engines, and their popularity looks set to increase with Volkswagen’s introduction of the plug-in version of their popular Passat.
The background on plug-in hybrid cars
Standard hybrid vehicles have been in existence for nearly 20 years, and their technology brings together electrical power and a combustion engine in order to drive forward momentum. The one downside of this, however, is that the electricity is sourced directly from the combustion engine, thus maintaining a reliance on petrol or diesel.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), however, do not need to rely as heavily on the combustion engine in order to receive an electrical supply. As the name suggests, plug-in hybrids can be charged via a wall socket or charging point, with the combustion engine only stepping in to provide power when the batteries have been drained. This best-of-both-worlds technology allows plug-in hybrids to achieve a far greater range than standard hybrids or electricity-only vehicles.
Introducing the Volkswagen Passat plug-in hybrid
Volkswagen have recently announced their new version of their ever-popular Passat - dubbed the Passat GTE - would feature plug-in technology.
At this point in time, the exact specifications are something of a trade secret, though insider information and observations made during tests have revealed a few interesting facts about the forthcoming Volkswagen PHEV:
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The GTE will combine a 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine with a 113 BHP electric motor, a similar arrangement to the one found in the Golf FTW.
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The total combined power is thought to be around 215 BHP, though both the electric motor and the petrol engine need to be running at the same time to achieve this.
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The Passat GTE offers an impressive 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds, and a top speed of over 140mph.
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The overall design has also received something of an overhaul, with observers noting that the new Passat includes updated bumper designs, redesigned air intakes, and a new front grille.
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The Passat GTE will also feature a 6.5-inch touchscreen, an inbuilt navigation system, Bluetooth, DAB digital radio, and connectivity with Volkswagen’s Car-Net remote app
However, as interesting as all of the above sounds, plug-in hybrids are primarily judged on the range they are able to provide - and in this regard, the new Passat GTE performs remarkably well.
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The recharge time of the new GTE Volkswagen PHEV is expected to be around four hours
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This will provide an electric-only range of about 30 miles in warm weather, with slightly less expected in cold weather
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The overall economy of the Passat GTE is 156.9mpg, with a total range of 660 miles in total - both of which are hugely impressive, and help to make the GTE one of the most impressive of the Volkswagen electric cars range.
Find out more about the Passat plug-in hybrid
The Passat GTE is set for release in spring of 2019 and, given what we know thus far, could well be one of the most exciting and innovative cars of the year to come. To find out more about the Passat and Volkswagen hybrid cars in general, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Canterbury Volkswagen today.
Meta Text Volkswagen have recently announced their new version of their ever-popular Passat - dubbed the Passat GTE - would feature plug-in technology.