Volkswagen will stick to plug-in hybrids for Europe, with brand CEO Thomas Schäfer ruling that range-extender technology “makes no sense” here.
Volkswagen’s Chinese joint-venture with SAIC has revealed the ID.Era, a seven-seat SUV concept heading for production. Its battery offers a 300km (186-mile) range, extended by another 435 miles thanks to an efficient on-board engine acting as a generator.
But what works in flowing Chinese traffic doesn’t work with the cut and thrust of European roads – and that’s before you get into the sheer expense of offering a big battery, electric motor and combustion engine, argues VW.
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