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Volkswagen to Preview a 300-Mile EV at This Year's Paris Show, Debuts late 2018

The Dieselgate scandal might prove to have been a blessing in disguise (a very thorough disguise, that is) for Volkswagen as it forced the German brand to review its approach to building cars and get more prepared for what the future has in store for this industry.
Volkswagen BUDD-e Concept 1 photo
Photo: Volkswagen
Had the emissions scandal not broken out, Volkswagen would probably still be pushing out Golfs and Passats with diesel engines with considerable success, oblivious to the changes in the market that foreshadowed a very different, less NOxy future. Yes, VW did have a few electric models - the e-up! and the recently launched (back then) e-Golf - but you could tell the company did not believe in them. They were there simply to serve a marketing purpose.

When the nitrous oxides hit the fan last September, however, the brand's electric models were a negligible quantity, so Volkswagen felt the backlash with full force. Since then, though, the Teutons have been working really hard on changing the public's perception of the company, and the development of new electric vehicles - of the proper kind - seems to be an important part of its strategy.

Volkswagen has promised 30 all-new electric models by 2025, and while that's indeed a long time, it's also a lot of new cars. However, rumors have it that the first glimpse of this electric VW line-up will be on display this fall in Paris, taking the shape of a vehicle roughly the size of a Golf, but with the interior space of a Passat - that's what the electric architecture can do for you.

German publication Wirtschafts Woche claims that the EV will have a range between 400 and 600 kilometers (around 250 and 370 miles), and it will be ready to launch in late 2018 or early 2019. Soon after, the same platform will be used for a series of different models ranging from a small crossover to a coupe and even a delivery van. Later on, Volkswagen is said to offer a luxury sedan as well, presumably as a replacement for the ill-fated Phaeton.

While promising, none of this sounds particularly revolutionary. On the other hand, don't expect Volkswagen to let too much out of the bag this early. Instead, think about the challenge set by VW Group CEO Matthias Muller to his leading engineers - to develop an electric car as iconic as the Golf with 500 km (310-miles) of maximum range and a complete charging time of 15 minutes - and hope for the best.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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