- Kjell Gruner, CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America, said that the brand will soon launch two hybrid models.
- The hybrid powertrains will be found in the brand’s “volume models,” which likely refer to the Tiguan and Atlas SUVs.
- Gruner said VW won’t pursue plug-in hybrids in the U.S., citing added weight and material costs.
While Volkswagen offers hybrid powertrains in other countries, the brand has been without a gas-electric model in the United States since the departure of the Jetta Hybrid after the 2016 model year. Earlier this year, Arno Antlitz, the CFO of the Volkswagen Group, said the brand aimed to bring plug-in hybrid models to the U.S. to bridge the gap to EVs. But during a roundtable interview at the New York auto show, Kjell Gruner, president and CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America, said that the brand’s hybrid plans will take a different approach.VolkswagenVolkswagen still aims to launch hybrid models in the U.S., but Gruner revealed that while VW will launch two hybrids in the next few years, they will be traditional hybrids instead of those of the plug-in variety. “We believe for this market, with the consumers here, that full hybrids are the right solution,” Gruner said. While plug-in hybrids have some advantages, “it adds a lot of weight and also a lot of material cost” and there is a significantly bigger market for traditional hybrids.Volkswagen also wants to manufacture these hybrids in North America. “It would be much faster, obviously, to import them from Europe,” Gruner explained. “But that’s not the solution we’re going for.” Gruner all but confirmed that the two hybrids will be the Tiguan and Atlas SUVs, saying the company will “choose from our volume models.” The Atlas is currently built in Chattanooga, Tennessee, while the Tiguan is being assembled in Puebla, Mexico. A Tiguan hybrid will likely arrive first since the brand is launching the nameplate’s third generation this year. An Atlas hybrid could be at least a couple of years out, with a next-generation Atlas due soon.More on the TiguanCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Source: caranddriver.com
