AUTONEWS

VW says it has no doubt that in the future all cars will be electric

Taking advantage of the recent Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen disclosed its position in relation to the problem that most concerns the European automobile industry, the strategy to be adopted in relation to electric cars: whether to challenge the agreements in force that condemn combustion engines to death in 2035 (in the desire to avoid large investments and maximize immediate profits), or support the regulations that Europe, builders and countries have approved and respect the limits on CO2 emissions, to avoid the worsening of climate change. And Martin Sander, head of Sales and Marketing at the German brand, assured that VW has no doubts that “in the future all cars will be electric”.

Of the German manufacturers, VW invested the most in electric mobility, designing specific architectures for this technology and adapting old factories to the needs of the new platforms, in order to explore their full potential. In addition to designing several battery factories, some of which were suspended due to the controversy surrounding electric models created mainly by German automakers, such as BMW, which still do not have dedicated platforms, nor specific factories for these models, much less battery factories.

“The market for vehicles with combustion engines is still very large, which prevents us from putting an end to its development”, admitted Martin Sander, although he says he has no doubt that, “sooner or later, combustion engines combustion will disappear.” Until then, “VW will continue to manufacture cars with combustion engines, as long as there are customers capable of purchasing them.” This implies that vehicles with combustion engines can be purchased, which ends in 2035, according to current regulations.

But Sander's clearest statement involves European politicians, especially German ones. In an interview with the British Autocar, he said that “he wants politicians to recognize that the future is electric and commit to moving in that direction”, and here he is implicitly criticizing the German Government which, under pressure from BMW, Mercedes and Porsche (which rules the VW group), leads Germany to put everything in check, as it is the main contributor to the European Union (EU). VW also understands that EU governments must “act in a way that removes doubts from consumers’ minds about the fuel for cars of the future”. Still according to Sander, the Wolsburg brand has already done everything possible to advance electric cars, investing billions in this new technology.

The New Golf combines innovative design, cutting-edge technology and electrified driving, with the integration of ChatGPT... Iconic and irreverent, after 50 years, the model continues to mark generations.

For generation Z, what is a Golf? A car with all the technology, which embraced the electric world and which, in its 8th generation, found ChatGPT integrated with the IDA voice assistant. For this generation, the plug-in hybrid version (PHEV) already has up to 143 kilometers of electric range and is capable of fast DC charging. It is a reliable car, with a good price/quality ratio and an excellent reputation as an iconic brand.

But, for the Millennial generation, the Golf was the revolutionary transition between the combustion engine and electrified mobility, accompanied by the “state of the art” in multimedia and infotainment. In the case of previous generations, the Golf was the car that passed from generation to generation and whose first edition took place in the mid-70s of the last century. Since it was launched, the Golf has gained a reputation and has become part of families in the “democratization” of access to cars.

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