VWs plans for electrifying their lineup of vehicles has been officially announced and will kick off with the introduction of a fleet of battery powered Golfs beginning next year.
The VW Touareg Hybrid is a step towards electrifying the VW lineup of vehicles, but its high price tag will keep it from drawing any sizable amount of sales. In order to bring electric and hybrids to market with mass market appeal, VW will focus on some of the company's core offerings.
The first electric vehicle to be released will be a small test fleet of 500 battery powered Golfs due out some time next year. In the works after the BEV Golf is a hybrid powered, production version of the VW Jetta due out in 2012. Shortly thereafter, the company will follow with hybrid offerings of both the Golf and the Passat which are scheduled for release in 2013.
That same year, the company will release its first mass produced electric vehicle. The E-Up!, displayed at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year, will enter production in 2103 as VW's first electric. Not far behind, an electric Golf and Jetta will go into production the same year.
VW claims that they will become the segment leader by 2018 with several hybrids and electric hitting the roads between now and then.
Source: MotorAuthority
