German automotive juggernaut Volkswagen is putting a fair few eggs on the upcoming 2016 Paris Motor Show where they are due to preview at least one all-new model and likely present its future groundwork in vehicle electrification to the public for the first time.
Prior to this official teaser, only a general level of knowledge was known about Volkswagen’s (and their many subsidiaries) near term plan to divert as much of its resources as it can toward electrification, a roadmap fast tracked by the ‘dieselgate' emissions cheating scandal that broke just over a year ago.
This all-new model, which will be shown as a concept on the show floor but will be evolved into a full production version, has much of Volkswagen’s future riding on it. And there’s no side more acutely aware of this than VW’s top management.
Operating under the slogan “Think New”, aping one of the most iconic ad campaigns in recent history, Volkswagen is pegging this mystery car as their new “ambassador to the automotive world”, indeed a vehicle that’s just as revolutionary as the original Beetle was.
Those are strong words and should even VW’s most recognisable car fall under the shadow of this new EV offering, it must be something very special indeed.
It will be the first vehicle to be built upon the company’s all-new modular electrification kit (MEB) that will no doubt spread to many other vehicles within the Volkswagen Group.
It had also been reported by Reuters that Volkswagen had deliberately pulled Lamborghini and Bentley from its typical appearance at this year’s Paris Motor Show to divert resources toward the broader launch of the Group’s new electrified efforts.
According to Autocar UK, Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Mueller said that the car will be sized similarly to a Golf and, while being futuristic, will not incorporate a radically different design for the sake of grabbing attention.
Rather, the new car will be focused more on solving real-world challenges that are slowing the mass adoption of electric vehicles and packaging it into a car that can fit in easily as an alternative to the current fossil fuel vehicles currently on sale.
The car will be capable of travelling between 400-480km on a single charge but will only need just 15 minutes to replenish once the battery is depleted. If true, this feature alone would ensure Volkswagen’s lead to the forefront of electrified vehicle technology.
For more on Volkswagen vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
