Volkswagen has announced first details of the all-new Passat plug-in hybrid ahead of the car’s official unveil at the Paris Motor Show this week.
The Passat GTE will go on sale in June 2015 available as both a saloon and an estate with first deliveries expected in October.
Currently 83 percent of all Passats here in the UK are sold into the fleet industry and Volkswagen is expecting the Passat GTE to be particularly popular, especially as CO2 emissions are expected to be lower than 45g/km meaning only a five percent BIK tax band for the 2015/16 tax year.
The new Passat GTE combines a turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, meaning it’s capable of travelling up to 31 miles on electric power alone.
There will be four different driving modes to choose from: E-Mode, which is full electric, Hybrid Mode (which charges the battery regeneratively during deceleration and automatically uses the engine or electric motor depending on the situation), Battery Charge Mode – which as the name suggests charges the battery while driving – and GTE Mode which unleashes the full 215bhp available from both the TSI petrol engine and electric motor for a sportier drive.
The 0-62mph sprint can be achieved in less than eight seconds with a top speed of more than 136mph, but when driving in electric mode the top speed is limited to 80mph.
When it comes to charging the GTE’s socket can be found in the radiator grille and the car can be fully charged by the mains via a domestic socket in four hours and 15 minutes. There is the option to have a more powerful wall box fitted which Volkswagen claims will reduce charging time to two hours and 30 minutes.
The new Passat GTE also gets its own equipment line and exterior enhancements over the regular Passat including a unique grille design, tweaked front bumper, C-shaped LED daytime running lights and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside the new Passat GTE will be launched with a 6.5-inch infotainment system and interior detailing such as blue ambient lighting, leather-trimmed steering wheel with blue stitching, GTE specific gear knob and seats in “Sevilla” cloth.
Pricing is yet to be announced, but more details are likely to be revealed at the Volkswagen press conference during the Motor Show on Wednesday evening.
