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Volkswagen bets future on green, connected cars
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Volkswagen, the largest carmaker in Europe, is reinventing itself with electrification and digitalization, two trends that will soon sweep its biggest market in the world, China.
By 2020, 20 more electric cars and plug-in hybrids — from compact cars to flagship models — will be added to Volkswagen Group’s electric fleet, already the biggest in the world. And all of its new cars will be transformed into smartphones on wheels, the company announced at the 66th International Motor Show in Frankfurt earlier this month.
“At a time of major social and technological upheaval, people expect new answers, new solutions and new directions from us,” the company said.
One of the strongest calls came from China which aims to sell 5 million new energy cars by 2020 as the country tackles worsening air pollution and raises fuel efficiency. The country is also known for its strong desire for connectivity with its 500 million smartphone users and counting.
Porsche Mission E and Audi E-Tron Quattro Concept presented by Volkswagen at the IAA are considered “a quantum leap” for the industry to go green.
One is the first all-electric, four-seat sports car in Porsche’s history and the other is Audi’s first large-series electric SUV. Both were on their world premiere and boast an all-electric range of more than 500 kilometers to effectively dispel mileage anxiety.
Also making its world debut at the car show was the new Volkswagen Tiguan GTE, a plug-in hybrid version of Volkswagen’s best-selling SUV in China, featuring a 50-kilometer electric driving range and a mere 1.9l/100km fuel consumption. It embodies the company’s determination to systematically take the plug-in hybrid to further classes and segments.
Relying on both gas and electricity for power, Tiguan GTE is believed to be the most commercially viable when charging facilities are still scarce at the early stage of vehicle electrification.
But technological leadership is no longer solely defined in terms of horsepower and torque. Digitalization, the new synonym of smartening up, is opening up a whole new frontier for competition.
Digital operating concepts such as gesture control will soon be brought from auto shows like IAA into reality; the next-generation Tiguan will feature enhanced travel experience with iPhones or Android-enabled smartphones connected with the in-vehicle infotainment system via App Connect and tablets linked as well through Media Control; and the autonomous driving once seen only in science fictions is being realized step by step.
“Audi and Volkswagen are making sure our customers benefit from this technology as quickly as possible — on highways, in stop-and-go traffic, and in search of a parking space,” the company said.
“At Volkswagen there is a sense that a new era is dawning. With ‘Future Tracks,’ we were the first in the auto industry to make the transformation and that is paying off now.”
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