23 Mar 17
News

VW pushes EV launch to meet CO2 targets

Volkswagen ID concept
Volkswagen executives said the company cannot afford to miss the planned 2020 market launch of its first electric model under the I.D. brand if it is to comply with the CO2 emission standards in the EU and China, Automotive News Europe reports.
 
That first vehice in the pipeline is the production version of the I.D. Concept revealed in Paris last year - a Golf-sized hatchback with the interior room of a Passat thanks to the specific vehicle architecture that cleverly integrates the motor and batteries.
 
Other models will be an SUV, a study of which will be revealed next month at the Shanghai auto show. That is no coincidence, as China is expected to become the biggest market for this car. Later on, VW will introduce a minibus - indeed heralded by the promising Buzz-e concept vehicle.
 
Unlike Daimler, BMW or Tesla, Volkswagen does not have its own battery producing facility, meaning that it has to source drive batteries either from its competitors or a battery specialist company such as LG Chemical. An agreement has allegedly already been signed.
 
As a reminder: the EU requires carmakers to reduce CO2 emissions to 95 grammes by 2021. In China, the target is 5 litres per 100 km, equalling 117 grammes. On an SUV and large car loving market as China, this goal will be particularly difficult to reach.
 
Picture copyright: VW, 2017
Authored by: Dieter Quartier