VW Going Hybrid

[Variance]

VW Going Hybrid

Volkswagen may have come a long way since the original Beetle, but in at least one way it still is very much the People's Car, giving the market their own versions of some of the most popular trends in the industry. Despite their pioneering the Microbus decades earlier, Volkswagen managed to skip the minivan craze, but has jumped on the biggest ones since. With the Touareg, VW joined the SUV boom. With the Eos, it got on the coupe-cabrio elevator closer to ground floor. The next big thing is hybrids, and Wolfsburg's not about to be left holding their hats. To that effect, Volkswagen is tipped to release a hybrid Jetta in two years.

Autoblog

[MyerShift]

Very odd as Volkswagen AG as a company seems to prefer and push the diesel powerplant.

[loki]

Very odd as Volkswagen AG as a company seems to prefer and push the diesel powerplant.

228290[/snapback]

hopefully it'll be a diesel hybrid...

[the_yellow_dart]

Yeah, I'd really like to see a hybrid diesel.

The Smart car is a turbodiesel with an SMG. Add an electric motor to that, and you would probably have enough grunt to move a Jetta. Imagine the gas mileage that would pull in...

[regfootball]

VW can't even make a gas engine that reliably maintains combustion. Trusting VW to make a reliable hybrid is like Paris Hilton skipping a coke and 'toys' party for a weekend church retreat.

[toyoguy]

http://www.egmcartech.com/2006/12/13/repor...-jetta-in-2009/

so VW says their hybrid will get better mileage than the TDI.

apparently engineers know more than internet clowns.

[MyerShift]

Then they must have their hands on some pretty darn good technology if their hybrid (gasoline or diesel?) is more efficient than their TDI engines. Especially when said TDI engine available in the U.S. is generally (averaged) about as efficient as Toyota's Prius... WITHOUT the mileage estimates inflated.

[pow]

Then they must have their hands on some pretty darn good technology if their hybrid (gasoline or diesel?) is more efficient than their TDI engines. Especially when said TDI engine available in the U.S. is generally (averaged) about as efficient as Toyota's Prius... WITHOUT the mileage estimates inflated.

228628[/snapback]

Hybrids have the potential to get far better MPG than any diesel. A Prius driven carefully, like in the EPA city cycle, spends half its time with the gas engine off. If you drive with haste, however, the advantages of hybrids die off, and diesels start to look more attractive.

Edited December 19, 2006 by empowah

[Flybrian]

If you drive like a normal person, however, the advantages of hybrids die off, and diesels start to look more attractive.

230104[/snapback]

Fixed.

[MyerShift]

Thank you. I agree, driven normally, a diesel would probably beat a hybrid over half of the time.

But, if it's a diesel hybrid involved, then that's another (and much rosier) story.

*Edited to correctly capitalize "I" at the beginning of the second sentence.

Edited December 20, 2006 by MyerShift