Volkswagen is planning to launch a new electric vehicle with a massive 300-mile range and it is going to make is first appearance at the Paris motor show this year.
The auto brand is highly confident that if they decide to switch over to electric cars, they can win their customers’ trust once again and come out of the abysmal diesel scandal. In order to do it, they need an EV which can make heads turn and put every other competitor to shame. It’s not easy task in a time when Tesla, Nissan, Chevrolet among everyone else has electric cars lined up. Most of them could deliver somewhere between 200 to 250 miles on a single charge.
Volkswagen is about to attempt to beat their record by launching an electric car with 300-mile range. The model is scheduled to be revealed at the Paris auto show. The information was revealed by the company’s chief Herbert Diess to a German auto magazine. He added that the upcoming concept model will be quite compact in size similar to the Golf. At the same time, it will have much bigger cargo space on par with that of a Passat. They are aiming to achieve a total of 400 to 600 kilometers, possibly 372 miles.
The idea is colossal at this stage as the automobile industry is still busy and yet to create batteries that could offer so much power. Individual factories are being constructed at various locations. Most automobile brands are going to launch their big EV by 2018 as it will give them enough time to refine the technology before bringing it to the masses.
The EV heading to the Paris motor show is a prototype and Volkswagen might need another two years to bring it into production. The final model should be out for delivery by 2018 or probably 2019 based on development cycle. A new MEB platform is being introduced for the sole purpose of allowing electric vehicles to have enough space to mount the battery. Volkswagen is opting for a flat floor battery which occupies very little space in the car.
By 2025, Volkswagen aims to have at least 30 electric vehicles in all segments and to boost EV sales by 25 percent. They plan to manufacturer 2 to 3 million EVs every year. A dedicated battery factory is under consideration to rival companies like Tesla and Nissan. The Paris auto show should provide more information on their future plans.