Currently reading: VW 'close to battery breakthrough'
New tech will deliver 170-mile range - and it's 'in sight', says Winterkorn

Volkswagen is closing in on a new battery technology that will bring “a quantum leap for the electric car”, according to the firm’s boss Martin Winterkorn.

The German manufacturer has been relatively cautious on developing pure EVs - although it has introduced the e-Up, e-Golf and Golf GTE in the past 18 months. Winterkorn told German tabloid newspaper Bild, "VW is researching a super-battery in Silicon Valley in California, that is cheaper, smaller and more powerful. An electric Volkswagen that can travel 300km (186 miles) on electricity is in sight. It will be a quantum leap for the electric car.”

The ranges quoted by Winterkorn are still some way short of those offered by the likes of the Tesla Model S. However, they would be substantial for a more affordable all-electric vehicle - the next generation of e-Golf, for example.

Winterkorn also revealed that VW will launch a three-wheeled semi-scooter called the Last Mile Surfer - in effect a rival to the Segway - that’s designed to be carried in a car and then used for the final phase of the journey.

He said, “It’s a battery-powered scooter with three wheels, similar to the Segway. Our model is much better, though - more elegant and smaller - and with a price under 1000 euros (£710) it is much cheaper. The Last Mile Surfer can be folded and stowed in the boot.”

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TBC 25 July 2015

The 4 elements of Evs

Each passing year we seem to creep closer to the gold standard in electric vehicles. Weight, range, cost and charging times. When the combined weight of the battery pack and motor/s is the same, or less, than the weight of an ICE and fuel, when it can provide a similar range, the costs over the life of the vehicle, say ten years, are the same (capital and running costs) and can be recharged in the time it takes to refill a fuel tank (realistically 15-20 minutes) then petrol and diesel cars will very soon become nothing more than a memory for 90% of the motoring population. If VWs new battery technology gets us a step closer, it can only be good news.
Carfreak 30 June 2015

Best of both worlds!

Hydrogen, the answer to our prayers in the future. Emphasis on future! Just because Toyota jumped in with the first Hydrogen Hybrid car to go into production, it is clearly not the finished product. It compares to a 1,600cc regular petrol car, but costs a ridiculously huge ammount. For now, we are still dependant on the petrol or diesel hybrid, or as Tesla has done, full electric. If the super battery development continues for VW, I think it would be an ideal replacement for the battery pack in the Golf GTE/ Audi A3 e-tron.I think it would make a great package!
Adrian987 29 June 2015

Steps

This is a step in the right direction, which is promising. My current week-day mileage is approx 20 per day, with 100 mile round trips on some weekend days. Taking trip length in isolation, I could be a perfect candidate for electric. If I didn't have to plug the thing in anywhere (so that means inductive charging) that would be great.