The Q5 e — also referred to as the Q5 55 TFSI e — is a five-seat midsize crossover that now boasts a 17.9-kilowatt-hour battery, permitting it to journey as much as 23 miles on a single cost. The Q5 e is assembled in Mexico and went on sale within the U.S. for the 2021 mannequin 12 months with a barely smaller battery and fewer electrical vary than it now has. It at the moment incorporates a mixed 362 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque between its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and electrical motor. It begins at $58,595 together with delivery.
Di Si, who began the CEO job in September, stated including an analogous plug-in hybrid for VW could be a “perfect transition” because the model pivots away from inner combustion engines and towards an all-electric lineup — particularly within the quick time period.
“Until Electrify America doubles up [its U.S. charging network] in 2025, I think it’s a perfect transition. And we have the technology,” Di Si stated. “We have the systems, we have the engineering, the staff. [The Q5 e] works well, it drives well. It’s a great vehicle. And I’ve heard from a lot of customers over the last six months” expressing curiosity in a VW model plug-in hybrid.
One query stays: Which automobile is almost definitely to get a plug-in hybrid variant? Di Si would not say, nor would a spokesperson for the model after the interview. However, given VW’s present gross sales — greater than 90 % of the model’s first-quarter U.S. gross sales have been crossovers — and its future product plan, the Tiguan or the Atlas would finest match the invoice, with the Tiguan edging forward in hypothesis solely due to its product cycle, which has it due for a redesign in 2025.
Excerpts from Automotive News’ interview with Di Si shall be revealed this month as a part of the Talk From the Top sequence.
Source: www.autonews.com