Volkswagen has announced it will start selling the Golf plug-in hybrid model in 2015 and is estimating that the Golf PLug-in Hybrid will be able to travel up to 30 miles on pure electric power.
The VW Golf plug-in hybrid electric vehicle will likely use a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine and a 107 horsepower electric motor. Volkswagen will display the Golf Plug-in Hybrid concept vehicle at the Paris Motor Show in Septmeber this year. AutoExpress has already had a test drive in the Golf plug-in hybrid and reports that the drive was very impressive, with lots of power, and the gasoline engine rarely kicking in. AutoExpress reports an estimated 131MPGe but since it’s a European site it is unclear whether that is European or US gallons. Last July Volkwsagen unveiled a station wagon prototype plug-in hybrid electric that was estimated to get 112 MPGe so perhaps VW is predicting US 131 MPGe for the Golf plug-in hybrid.
This is not a slightly surprising move by Volkswagen considering last year CEO Martin Winterkorn said he thought plug-in hybrids would be embraced by consumers at a far faster than pure electric vehicles.
