We are inclined 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 automobiles do little to maneuver the EV revolution ahead by any vital quantity. The most recent information from Volkswagen is far much less attractive, however arguably extra vital to the electrical automobile 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 have the ability to service two electrical autos.

Sometimes, quick chargers are deployed alongside main freeway routes. Volkswagen Group is likely one of the founding members of Ionity, a consortium of main European automakers who wish to make excessive energy chargers obtainable to their electrical automobile prospects. The distinction right here is that Electrify France shall be situated at amenities belonging to numerous members of the Group — Volkswagen, Volkswagen Business Automobiles, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA and Škoda — which are situated 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 wouldn’t have entry to charging gear the place they dwell. The Electrify France places shall be obtainable to the general public 24 hours a day so all EV drivers will have the ability to add as much as 200 km of driving vary in 20 minutes or much less each time they should.

Xavier Chardon, chairman of Volkswagen Group France, says, “The initiatives that VGF deploys by way of electromobility are sturdy and permit all homeowners of electrical autos to recharge in a couple of minutes all through France. This can be a main dedication from a really dedicated producer!”

Luc Chausson, who’s answerable for the Electrify France undertaking provides, “The set up of quick chargers in our community is a powerful signal that our distributors are dedicated to remodeling their enterprise mannequin, with the will to fulfill our prospects by putting in top quality charging stations, open to all.”

Every charging location shall be geared up with not less than 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 outdoors city areas. Ultimately, it’s anticipated to develop to 700 websites throughout France.

Along with the brand new quick charging places, 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 shall 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 more shall be provided solely in Variant kind, recognized to People 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 selection of turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines. It additionally shall be provided with a 110 kW (147 hp) 48 volt gentle hybrid possibility. However that’s not the large information. There shall 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 automobiles are geared up with a 19.6 kWh (internet) battery that may energy them in battery-only mode for as much as 100 km (assuming the motive 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 automobile for on a regular basis life. That is moreover ensured by quick charging instances because the battery can now be charged at AC cost factors with 11 kW as a substitute 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) gives total ranges of round 1,000 km.”

Courtesy of Volkswagen

Keep in mind the long-lasting Volkswagen business concerning the two dudes who take a Passat TDI sedan on a highway journey and train themselves 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 gives a excessive degree of journey consolation and shall be optionally obtainable with new adaptive chassis management  known as DCC Professional and new ergoActive seats that supply a pneumatic strain level therapeutic massage function.” The automobile additionally has a totally digital dashboard with related know-how. An obtainable assisted driving mode takes the stress out of long-distance journey.

The place Is The Battery Electrical Volkswagen Variant?

Why go to all this hassle to supply a plug-in hybrid? Why not simply provide individuals a battery powered wagon? Truly, Volkswagen intends to do exactly that when it introduces the ID.7 Tourer in a couple of years. The ID.7 sedan and the Tourer shall be manufactured on the Emden manufacturing facility, 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 facility in Bratislavia.

“The most recent evolutionary stage of the modular MQB evo kinds the extremely modern technical foundation of the ninth Passat technology,” says Kai Grünitz, VW Model board member for technical improvement. “Due to the numerous economies of scale of the MQB evo, Volkswagen has once more democratized quite a few high-tech developments and made them obtainable for a whole bunch of hundreds of drivers.”

The brand new Passat Variant is anticipated in showrooms in early 2024. No costs have been introduced as of but.

The Takeaway

Why are we waxing eloquent a couple of plug-in hybrid? As a result of it could simply be the bridge that’s wanted between typical combustion engine autos and absolutely electrical fashions. CleanTechnica readers are all in on EVs, naturally, however there are nonetheless loads of people on the market on the earth who are usually not but able to decide to driving a automobile powered completely by batteries.

Allow them to get a style of automobiles like this, automobiles that may run silently for as much as 60 miles, automobiles that replenish their batteries with regenerative braking, automobiles that hardly cease at a fuel pump, don’t want frequent oil adjustments, and may 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. Chances are high 98 out of 100 drivers who get to expertise all that can make a battery electrical automobile their subsequent automobile subsequent time round. That’s a very good factor.

Personally, I like station wagons. All the time have. If somebody advised me I used to be condemned to drive a ninth technology Passat Variant PHEV for the remainder of my life, I’d suppose I gained the lottery. It appears good in an understated method with fastidiously massaged styling that speaks of refinement, energy, and charm. I hope Volkswagen sells boatloads of them.

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