Volkswagen’s strategy for hybrid cars is not a flash of a day. They took their first steps with models like the Touareg Hybrid from 2010 and even had a more fuel-efficient model for sale, the Jetta Hybrid that was launched in 2013. But ten years ago, the European market was still left for electric vehicles. He was in command of the diesel and Volkswagen had many diesel mechanics.
The dieselgate and subsequent European anti-pollution regulations caused Volkswagen to change its ideas about electrification. Mind you, it went straight to the top steps. Most notable is undoubtedly the new family of electric models (the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and the future models), but hybrid cars have not forgotten them.
Volkswagen’s hybrid cars are available in the range that starts with compact cars and are all plug-in. Aware that an electric vehicle is not for everyone these days, this type of vehicle makes sense if you use the car on a daily basis and can be charged frequently:
- Electric energy is used to cover daily journeys, especially in the city.
- They allow long journeys without being dependent on the charging structure, which is still scarce in our country.
In the second case, the consumption is not as low as with a conventional petrol or diesel. And it is that having two motors and batteries assumes an extra weight. The autonomy isn’t great either, especially since these components take up space subtracted from the fuel tank. These are the different variants:
Volkswagen Hybrid Cars
Volkwsagen Golf eHybrid and Golf GTE
The hybrid version of the Golf 2020 uses a combination of engines that is repeated in many models of the Group that supplies 204 hp power combined and 350 Nm maximum torque:
- 150 hp (110 kW) 1.4 TSI combustion engine: It is the 1,395 hp four-cylinder aluminum supercharger engine, not the more modern 1.5 TSI Evo with identical power
- 102 hp (85 kW) HEM80 Evo electric motor.
Both engines were mated to a six-speed DSG automatic transmission specifically for this technology, the DQ400e. It has a battery of 13 kWh capacity, almost double that of the PHEV version of the Golf 7. With fully charged, it approves 56 km of autonomy in 100% electric mode, up to 130 km / h.
the Volkswagen Hybrid wave Pluggable is made by means of alternating current of 2.3 or 3.6 kW, depending on the power source. In a normal shot of 2.3 you would need about five hours to fully charge the battery, while in a 3.6 the time drops to 3 hours 40 minutes.
The Volkswagen Golf GTE, with the same braid, manages to deliver a power of 245 hp (180 kW) and a maximum torque of 400 Nm.
Volkswagen Passat GTE
With the arrival of the Passat 2019, the plug-in hybrid variant, called GTE, was brought up to date. Available in both bodies of the model (also in the Passat variant), most of the novelties were in the battery, which 13 kWh capacity (previously 9.9 kWh) and achieves the Zero label of the DGT after approval of 56 km of electric autonomy.
The combination of engines is the same as in the Golf, with some nuance. And it is that you get in the Passat 218 hp (160 kW) power and 400 Nm maximum torque:
- 1.4 TSI combustion engine with 156 hp (115 kW) and 250 Nm maximum torque.
- 116 hp (85 kW) electric motor that reaches a maximum torque of 30 Nm.
In our in-depth test we saw that, despite its power, the behavior is not very sporty, except for the accelerations you get in GTE mode (which makes the two engines work together and reach their full potential).
Volkswagen Arteon eHybrid
It is a technological copy of the Passat and, as in it, the combination of engines delivers (the same) 218 hp (160 kW) power and 400 Nm of torque. This engine was one of the great novelties of the Arteon 2021 and is also available in the family body, the Arteon Shooting Brake.
Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid
This plug-in hybrid SUV uses the exact same engine combination as the Golf GTE, to create a combined power of 245 hp, making it one of the most powerful in the 2021 Tiguan range:
- 150 hp (110 kW) 1.4 TSI petrol engine.
- 116 hp (85 kW) electric motor.
Its battery with a gross capacity of 13 kWh allows it to travel up to 49 km without emissions. It allows charging up to a maximum of 3.6 kW, a power where it takes 3.7 hours to go from 0 to 100%. It is also mated to the six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. As usual, it has several driving modes:
- Electric mode: It moves exclusively in electric mode, up to 130 km/h maximum speed (as long as there is a battery).
- Hybrid mode: combines both engines efficiently.
- GTE mode: Strive for maximum performance.
The battery of the eHybrid, according to Volkswagen. In a household outlet, the same process takes 5 hours.
Volkswagen Touareg eHybrid and Touareg R
They are undoubtedly the gems of the Volkswagen hybrids. This premium SUV has two variants that stand out for their power:
The Volkswagen Touareg eHybrid achieves 381 hp (280 kW) and 600 Nm of torque thanks to the combination of two propellers:
- Petrol engine 340 hp 3.0-litre turbo V6 (250 kW) and 450 Nm of torque.
- Mechanics 136 hp (100 kW) electric, longitudinally in front.
Associated with the eight-speed automatic transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive, it has a lithium-ion rear battery with a net capacity of 14.3 kWh (17.9 kWh gross), which enables it to power a range of 47 kilometers, with a maximum speed of 135 km/h. Supports loads up to 7.2 kW.
The Volkswagen Touareg R achieves nothing less than 462 hp and 700 Nm of torque, making it the fastest and most capable of the range. It combines the same two as the previous one (it is the electronic management that is responsible for bringing them forward together).
The battery with a net capacity of 14.3 kWh is also identical allowing it to reach 47 km in 100% electric mode with no local emissions, for which it achieves the Zero label. There’s no shortage of the eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and the 4Motion all-wheel drive, which can send 70% of the drive power to the front axle and up to 80% to the rear.
