Original title: VW Plugs-in with New Battery Passat GTE Model Source: VW Plugs-in with New Battery Passat GTE Model | TheDetroitBureau.com 11 miles EV / 50 MPG - Prius Plug-In 20 miles EV / 38 MPG - Ford C-Max Energi 31 miles EV / 28 MPG (?) - Passat GTE 38 miles EV / 37 MPG - Volt Plug-In (?) current MPG of 1.4 L, turbo which hybridized should do better, a lot better. This completes the set, assuming the Passat GTE sells outside of California and Prius Plug-In becomes national. Bob Wilson
How about the Audi A3 eTron? I think it was quoted as 30 miles EV range too. Same setup on the ICE from what it looks like.
The Passat GTE numbers are based on European NEDC estimates although this isn't made clear enough in the article (as usual...). So, 31 miles of electric range will probably end up as 21 miles of range under EPA rules. Another article quotes 13 kwh / 100 km or about 210 Wh per mile NEDC and that implies about 6.5 kwh usable out of a nominal 9.9 kWh battery or about 65% which seems about right. They claim 620 miles on a full tank (50 liters) and a full charge so 620-31 is 589 / 50 or 11.78 miles per liter or about 45 mpg (US) on NEDC test cycle. That probably converts to about 35-36 mpg EPA combined. By contrast, the 2011 Ampera/Volt got 51-52 miles of range NEDC (35 miles EPA) and 47 mpg NEDC (37 mpg EPA). In other words, the Passat GTE will probably get slightly more EV range than a Ford C-MAX Energi and slightly lower hybrid mpg.
I remember when some EU skeptics dismissed the Prius as marketing and claims that diesel was the right answer. Seeing more and more EU hybrids, even if starting from the plug-in route, makes a lot of sense as more and more urban areas insist on being free from ICE pollution. Besides London, what other cities have banned gas and diesel powered cars in urban areas? Bob Wilson
Plug-in will be more and more popular come 2025 mpg mandate @ 54mpg. By having a plug and offset "real" ICE mpg, that is the simplest way to get to manufacturer goal required by EPA. Most Euro and US car companies have agreed this is the way to go. Too bad Japanese car companies have not. The only Japanese car company going toward this route is Mitsubishi. ,
Sure, but note that 54 mpg CAFE number is equivalent to around 37-38 mpg on the EPA window sticker. There's a useful table illustrating this at: Corporate Average Fuel Economy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Prius Plugin is selling pretty competitively and will be updated in the near future. Honda has a plugin Accord but is selling it in small numbers so far.
I believe the plug in Accord is only sold in California and New York. The Prius plug in is only available in 14(?) states. Originally, it was to be nationwide by now. The next generation will be coming out a year after the new Prius, and there is no gaurntee that it will be nationwide. As to BEVs, the Fit EV was a limited lease only program that has come to an end. The Rav4 EV was a joint project with Tesla, only sold in Ca, and it also cancelled. Currently, Toyota is getting ready to introduce their FCEV to California, and the next gen Clarity will likely soon follow. Beyond the PPI, neither have released any future plans for plug ins.
VW's Plug-in hybrid will be more efficiency than PIP?; Compare Side-by-Side Since I had more than enough time to get to work this morning, I decided to avoid the expressway and drove the 15.5 miles to work thru regular city streets. So this 2011 regular Prius did this today during rush hours! AM Commute AM+PM Commute
Slowly other carmakers show they can catch up PHEV line-up using Bosch parts. Toyota should be looking at expanding its own PiP system...
I'm thinking the Prius v would gain the most from Plug-In. With control laws to optimize engine warm-up and a sliding rear door. Bob Wilson
They should, but it isn't hopeful that they will. The two largest markets for hybrids are Japan and the US. In both, Toyota and others have successfully lobbied to get larger incentives for FCEVs. AFAIK, GM and Ford are the only ones that have spoken about a fuel cell plug in.
I don't think their ICE 1.4L Turbo would be more efficient (Jetta Hybrid real-world mpg is seen at about 40). However, the big battery, assuming it can really get US mpg of 30 miles is the key. That will make a major difference in efficiency. Just imagine what you could do with a 30 EV miles with a PiP. One reason I might be looking at a Volt2 if the Tesla Model 3 does not fall way short. Toyota probably will lose my next car purchase because they don't care about us anymore. My wife's Rav4EV is an electron hog at 74mpge, but at $4 charge at home, we get 110 miles out of it. Once you go plug, you don't want to go back.
+1 I've bitched @ Toyota for not going plug-in V since it came out. The alibi is it'd be too expensive. Funny - the cheeper/larger - Mitsu Outlander plug-in SUV will be on U.S. shores soon - yet Toyota says a plug in V would be too expensive? I'm thinking they don't want its likely efficiency to compete with their hydrogen car. Oh well, i'm sure Toyota knows what they're doing. .
