On the sidelines of the auto show in New York, a handful of journalists was able to test the hybrid version of the Volkswagen Beetle. If it is only a prototype and that the production version will probably be equipped with the plug-in hybrid technology, VW Beetle Hybrid has excellent impression.
Hybridization: the 2018 VW bet to reduce CO2 emissions
The Wolfsburg manufacturer bet on the hybridization of a large part of its range. After the launch of its rechargeable hybrid Golf GTE end of 2017 and the arrival in the summer of 2018 the Passat sedan GTE in its declensions and SW wagon, Volkswagen should make its catalog in two years Plug-in versions of its compact MPV Touran, Tiguan compact SUV of its and its Touareg 4x4. A GTE variant of the VW Polo is also the subject of rumor for about 2 years. Even the city up! Benefited from a plug-in concept combining a diesel unit to an electrical supply. One model had not been mentioned in the context of this revolution: the Beetle.
A prototype of 2018 VW Beetle Hybrid promising
On the sidelines of the New York salon, a few journalists were able to test the hybrid prototype of the Volkswagen Beetle. Our British colleagues from Auto Express website were able to drive the twin engine Beetle for about twenty minutes in the streets of Manhattan. Externally, apart affixed Hybrid badges on the front wings of the car, nothing distinguishes the hybrid version of a petrol or diesel combustion version. Inside, nothing new either. Only the instrumentation behind the wheel inherited from the highly efficient Volkswagen XL1 shows the presence of an electric block.
Mechanical inherited from the 2018 VW Jetta Hybrid
Under the hood, the VW Beetle Hybrid adopts the drivetrain of the Jetta sedan, with the Tuareg, are the only two hybrid models 'conventional' (that is to say non-rechargeable) of the German manufacturer catalog. There were many who had bet on the disappearance of the Jetta Hybrid in favor of a rechargeable version of GTE. Yet VW just restyle its model and decided to keep this engine. La beetle is animated by a gasoline-electric twin engine of 163 hp (maximum torque of 250 Nm) combining a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder block to block an electric powered by a small battery located under the trunk floor.
No short-term production start
Verdict of test: a range of 2 km or less (up to a speed of 50 km / h), a toned mechanics in acceleration, a gearbox DSG dual-clutch 7 reports very soft, passages without jolts between different modes (thermal or electric), ... Inside, the touch screen installed on the center console provides information about the main source of energy used or the recovery of kinetic energy during braking. The Auto Express journalists have especially appreciated the electrical functioning of silence and the sound of the exhaust when mounted petrol unit of the regime. Only downside: the production version should not see the short-term day ...
GOOD TO KNOW: meet the stringent exhaust emissions standards, automakers electrify or hybridise all or part of their ranges. At VW, the technical department has chosen the plug-in hybrid to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. To date, only the Jetta and Touareg hybrid groups have "conventional".
Hybridization: the 2018 VW bet to reduce CO2 emissions
The Wolfsburg manufacturer bet on the hybridization of a large part of its range. After the launch of its rechargeable hybrid Golf GTE end of 2017 and the arrival in the summer of 2018 the Passat sedan GTE in its declensions and SW wagon, Volkswagen should make its catalog in two years Plug-in versions of its compact MPV Touran, Tiguan compact SUV of its and its Touareg 4x4. A GTE variant of the VW Polo is also the subject of rumor for about 2 years. Even the city up! Benefited from a plug-in concept combining a diesel unit to an electrical supply. One model had not been mentioned in the context of this revolution: the Beetle.
A prototype of 2018 VW Beetle Hybrid promising
On the sidelines of the New York salon, a few journalists were able to test the hybrid prototype of the Volkswagen Beetle. Our British colleagues from Auto Express website were able to drive the twin engine Beetle for about twenty minutes in the streets of Manhattan. Externally, apart affixed Hybrid badges on the front wings of the car, nothing distinguishes the hybrid version of a petrol or diesel combustion version. Inside, nothing new either. Only the instrumentation behind the wheel inherited from the highly efficient Volkswagen XL1 shows the presence of an electric block.
Mechanical inherited from the 2018 VW Jetta Hybrid
Under the hood, the VW Beetle Hybrid adopts the drivetrain of the Jetta sedan, with the Tuareg, are the only two hybrid models 'conventional' (that is to say non-rechargeable) of the German manufacturer catalog. There were many who had bet on the disappearance of the Jetta Hybrid in favor of a rechargeable version of GTE. Yet VW just restyle its model and decided to keep this engine. La beetle is animated by a gasoline-electric twin engine of 163 hp (maximum torque of 250 Nm) combining a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder block to block an electric powered by a small battery located under the trunk floor.
No short-term production start
Verdict of test: a range of 2 km or less (up to a speed of 50 km / h), a toned mechanics in acceleration, a gearbox DSG dual-clutch 7 reports very soft, passages without jolts between different modes (thermal or electric), ... Inside, the touch screen installed on the center console provides information about the main source of energy used or the recovery of kinetic energy during braking. The Auto Express journalists have especially appreciated the electrical functioning of silence and the sound of the exhaust when mounted petrol unit of the regime. Only downside: the production version should not see the short-term day ...
GOOD TO KNOW: meet the stringent exhaust emissions standards, automakers electrify or hybridise all or part of their ranges. At VW, the technical department has chosen the plug-in hybrid to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. To date, only the Jetta and Touareg hybrid groups have "conventional".
2018 Volkswagen Beetle Hybrid: a prototype in New York (+ photos)
2018 Volkswagen Beetle Hybrid: a prototype in New York (+ photos)
2018 Volkswagen Beetle Hybrid: a prototype in New York (+ photos)
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