VW CEO says plug-in hybrids are the future

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Volkswagen chief executive officer, Martin Winterkorn, has loosely committed to launching a plug-in hybrid version of every model in the German automaker's future lineup of vehicles. Winterkorn told Auto Motor und Sport that plug-in hybrids have a considerable advantage over electric-only vehicles and, as such, the automaker's near-term future will be chock-full of plug-in hybrids.

VW's head honcho, in a translated interview with Auto Motor und Sport, stated:

I am firmly convinced that plug-in hybrids are the right solution for the next ten years. You can drive 50 to 60 kilometers all-electric and have the full flexibility of an internal combustion engine. The plug-in hybrid will be there for all platforms in the Volkswagen Group.

Apparently, Winterkorn is not satisfied with the performance of lithium-ion battery technology and says that even under ideal conditions, electric vehicles often have a range of less than 150 kilometers (93.2 miles). This, according to Winterkorn, is simply insufficient but he did say that lithium-air batteries might hold the key to future.



Source: Autoblog Green