We are likely to get mesmerized by the most recent information about electrical supercars from Ferrari, Rimac, or Alfa Romeo, however within the bigger scheme of issues, these vehicles do little to maneuver the EV revolution ahead by any vital quantity. The newest information from Volkswagen is far much less horny, however arguably extra essential to the electrical automotive transition.
Electrify France Brings Quick Charging To French Drivers
Courtesy of Volkswagen
Taking a web page from its Electrify America quick charging community within the US — which was launched partially as penance for its diesel emissions dishonest scandal — Volkswagen Group is making a community of 150 DC quick charging stations all through France. Every charging level will be capable to service two electrical autos.
Usually, quick chargers are deployed alongside main freeway routes. Volkswagen Group is among the founding members of Ionity, a consortium of main European automakers who need to make excessive energy chargers out there to their electrical automotive clients. The distinction right here is that Electrify France will likely be positioned at amenities belonging to varied members of the Group — Volkswagen, Volkswagen Business Automobiles, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA and Škoda — which are positioned away from highways and concrete facilities.
In a press launch, Volkswagen Group France says it’s important to supply drivers of electrical autos using quick charging stations every day as a result of in France 50% of drivers don’t have entry to charging tools the place they stay. The Electrify France areas will likely be out there to the general public 24 hours a day so all EV drivers will be capable to add as much as 200 km of driving vary in 20 minutes or much less every time they should.
Xavier Chardon, chairman of Volkswagen Group France, says, “The initiatives that VGF deploys when it comes to electromobility are sturdy and permit all homeowners of electrical autos to recharge in a couple of minutes all through France. It is a main dedication from a really dedicated producer!”
Luc Chausson, who’s accountable for the Electrify France challenge provides, “The set up of quick chargers in our community is a robust signal that our distributors are dedicated to reworking their enterprise mannequin, with the need to fulfill our clients by putting in prime quality charging stations, open to all.”
Every charging location will likely be outfitted with at the least one 150 kW charger. The most important installations could have as much as 12 quick charging factors. Electrify France is meant to supply higher protection, significantly in areas with few motorways which are exterior city areas. Finally, it’s anticipated to develop to 700 websites throughout France.
Along with the brand new quick charging areas, VGF can be investing in solar energy amenities so as to add emissions-free electrical energy to the French electrical grid, a few of which will likely be used to energy the brand new Electrify France charging stations. On June 29, 2023, the Villers-Cotterêts photo voltaic facility was commissioned. At 15 hectares (37 acres), it’s the fifth largest non-public photo voltaic park in France and is able to producing 20 MW of peak energy.
New Volkswagen Passat Variant PHEV
Courtesy of Volkswagen
This week, Volkswagen made one other announcement that’s vital to EV advocates. It launched the most recent model of the Passat, which any longer will likely be provided solely in Variant type, identified to Individuals as a station wagon. That is the ninth model of the Passat, which is constructed on the corporate’s MQB evo platform.
The brand new Passat will include a alternative of turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines. It additionally will likely be provided with a 110 kW (147 hp) 48 volt delicate hybrid possibility. However that’s not the large information. There will likely be two plug-in hybrid fashions, one that includes 150 kW (201 hp) of energy and the opposite providing 200 kW (268 hp) complete output. Versus the prior PHEV Passat, the brand new plug-in hybrid vehicles are outfitted with a 19.6 kWh (web) battery that may energy them in battery-only mode for as much as 100 km (assuming the driving force remembers to plug them in).
Courtesy of Volkswagen
In a press launch, the corporate says, “This distance turns the brand new Passat Variant into an electrical car for on a regular basis life. That is moreover ensured by quick charging occasions because the battery can now be charged at AC cost factors with 11 kW as an alternative of the earlier 3.6 kW. The Passat Variant eHybrid may even be charged with as much as 50 kW at DC quick charging stations. As well as, the mix of electrical drive motor and new economical turbocharged petrol engine (1.5 TSI evo2) offers general ranges of round 1,000 km.”
Courtesy of Volkswagen
Bear in mind the long-lasting Volkswagen industrial in regards to the two dudes who take a Passat TDI sedan on a highway journey and educate themselves easy methods to converse fluent Spanish by the point they should cease to refuel? It’s time for a remake.
Volkswagen is positioning the brand new Passat Variant PHEV as one thing of a grand touring machine. “The quiet and spacious Passat Variant affords a excessive stage of journey consolation and will likely be optionally out there with new adaptive chassis management known as DCC Professional and new ergoActive seats that supply a pneumatic strain level therapeutic massage function.” The automotive additionally has a totally digital dashboard with related expertise. An out there assisted driving mode takes the stress out of long-distance journey.
The place Is The Battery Electrical Volkswagen Variant?
Why go to all this bother to provide a plug-in hybrid? Why not simply supply folks a battery powered wagon? Really, Volkswagen intends to just do that when it introduces the ID.7 Tourer in a number of years. The ID.7 sedan and the Tourer will likely be manufactured on the Emden manufacturing unit, which is the place the Passat was made beforehand. The Passat sedan is being discontinued and manufacturing of the Variant will transfer to a manufacturing unit in Bratislavia.
“The newest evolutionary stage of the modular MQB evo types the extremely progressive technical foundation of the ninth Passat technology,” says Kai Grünitz, VW Model board member for technical growth. “Because of the numerous economies of scale of the MQB evo, Volkswagen has once more democratized quite a few high-tech developments and made them out there for a whole bunch of 1000’s of drivers.”
The brand new Passat Variant is predicted in showrooms in early 2024. No costs have been introduced as of but.
The Takeaway
Why are we waxing eloquent a few plug-in hybrid? As a result of it might simply be the bridge that’s wanted between standard combustion engine autos and absolutely electrical fashions. CleanTechnica readers are all in on EVs, naturally, however there are nonetheless loads of of us on the market on this planet who will not be but able to decide to driving a automotive powered completely by batteries.
Allow them to get a style of vehicles like this, vehicles that may run silently for as much as 60 miles, vehicles that replenish their batteries with regenerative braking, vehicles that hardly cease at a gasoline pump, don’t want frequent oil modifications, and might make a set of brake pads final 50,000 miles or extra.
Allow them to expertise the pure pleasure of driving on electrons with out worrying about the place the subsequent charging station could also be. Likelihood is 98 out of 100 drivers who get to expertise all that can make a battery electrical automotive their subsequent car subsequent time round. That’s factor.
Personally, I like station wagons. All the time have. If somebody informed me I used to be condemned to drive a ninth technology Passat Variant PHEV for the remainder of my life, I might suppose I received the lottery. It appears good in an understated method with fastidiously massaged styling that speaks of refinement, energy, and beauty. I hope Volkswagen sells boatloads of them.
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