Volkswagen Passat PHEV on the playing cards for Australia

By linda Last updated Aug 31, 2022

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The Volkswagen Passat mid-sized wagon may quickly be electrified in Australia.

Because the German model continues to launch particulars of its deliberate electrification rollout over the approaching 12 months or so, the model’s director for passenger autos has indicated extra plug-in hybrids may very well be on the way in which – particularly, the Passat.

VW Australia’s passenger car boss Michal Szaniecki advised CarExpert a plug-in Passat may be a part of the Golf GTE and Tiguan eHybrid PHEVs which are on observe for a 2023 Australian launch.

“We’re trying into the Passat phase for our plug-in hybrid enlargement, that may be a pure factor to do,” Mr. Szaniecki stated, “that may in all probability exhaust our [plug-in hybrid] vary, at the least for maybe the foreseeable future.”

Volkswagen Passat PHEV on the cards for Australia

The present Passat GTE out there abroad runs a model of the 1.4-litre turbocharged plug-in hybrid drivetrain because the Golf GTE and Tiguan eHybrid, quoting system outputs of 160kW and 400Nm.

A 10.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides as much as 37mi (59.5km) of zero emissions EV vary on the WLTP check cycle. VW claims the Passat GTE can even speed up from 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds, and hit a high pace of 222km/h.

In abroad markets, the VW Passat GTE has traditionally been out there as each a sedan and wagon, although the Passat sedan was lately discontinued all through Europe and the UK, in addition to Australia.

The Passat GTE is positioned because the flagship variant in markets just like the UK that don’t get the extra highly effective petrol engine choices Australia will get, priced from slightly below the place to begin for a brand new Golf R Wagon, which in Australia lists for $68,990 plus on-road prices.

Ought to the plug-in Passat undertake related positioning within the Australian line-up, anticipate a beginning value between $65,000 and $70,000. For context, the present Passat Wagon 206TSI R-Line begins at $66,790 plus on-roads in Australia.

A brand new-generation Passat has been spied during development testing overseas and is believed to be on observe for a 2023 reveal, which means if VW Australia is planning a Passat PHEV, it may very well be based mostly on the brand new mannequin given it’s in all probability at the least 12 months away.

Based mostly on the newest MQB platform (dubbed MQB Evo), the brand new Passat is anticipated to develop in most dimensions and provide a extra electrified powertrain line-up, together with 48V mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines in addition to the model’s next-generation plug-in hybrid system.

Mentioned PHEV drivetrain can be based mostly round VW’s newest 1.5 TSI evo2 turbocharged petrol engine, which lately launched within the T-Roc crossover in abroad markets. The brand new engine has been designed to be suitable “with fuels containing elements manufactured from renewable vitality sources”, in addition to “numerous hybridisation ranges”.

In a current European media launch, VW indicated a PHEV system with as much as 200kW will “be potential”, whereas Cupra has stated its upcoming Terramar plug-in hybrid SUV – prone to be constructed on the identical underpinnings – will provide 100 kilometres of EV driving vary.

Ought to it make it Down Below, the Passat plug-in hybrid would grow to be Volkswagen Australia’s fourth plug-in hybrid providing – following the Touareg R (due early 2023), in addition to the aforementioned Golf GTE and Tiguan eHybrid.

VW provides decrease efficiency Golf and Touareg eHybrid PHEVs abroad, nevertheless it’s understood the much less highly effective plug-in fashions aren’t a precedence for our market.

Along with a possible quartet of plug-in hybrids, Volkswagen Australia is pushing onerous to convey its all-electric autos as quickly as potential.

At this stage, the ID.4 and ID.5 EV crossovers ought to kickstart this rollout, presently pencilled in for a late-2023 or early-2024 introduction – although they might additionally come sooner if the native arm will get its method.

The Volkswagen Group as an entire has been pretty sluggish to herald plug-in autos – each hybrid and full-electric – regardless of being a significant participant within the area globally.

Solely Audi provides EVs in the intervening time, within the type of the e-tron SUV and e-tron GT four-door coupe, whereas Spanish efficiency upstart Cupra will convey the Born – twin to VW’s ID.3 hatch – early in 2023.

Czech subsidiary Skoda plans to herald its Enyaq iV and Enyaq Coupe iV electrical autos across the similar time because the ID.4 and ID.5 – becoming given they’re successfully the identical beneath – however Audi has but to verify its associated Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron for Australia.

Volkswagen, in addition to a slew of different manufacturers, have lengthy blamed Australia’s lack of emissions rules and gas requirements for restricted electrified powertrain choices regardless of rising demand.

In areas like Europe, producers face hefty monetary penalties if their general fleet of recent autos offered don’t meet an outlined common CO2 emissions determine.

Because of this most manufacturers prioritise manufacturing of EVs and plug-in hybrids for these markets – be mindful, factories can solely put out a finite determine of models every year.

With the newly-elected Albanese Labor Authorities working to introduce a number of measures to drive low- and zero-emissions car uptake – together with an emissions discount coverage, tax incentives for EV and PHEV patrons, in addition to bettering charging infrastructure – it seems the Australian market may change quickly.

Restricted alternative hasn’t slowed demand Down Below, nevertheless – hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electrical gross sales proceed to develop in 2022, with EVs particularly displaying large progress (276.6 per cent 12 months to this point).

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