cars news 10: Report: VW to Debut 300-Mile EV at Paris Motor Show

Volkswagen says electric vehicles will play an important role in its diesel scandal recovery plan, and now the automaker is ready to put that theory to the test. At the Paris auto show next month, Volkswagen will debut an EV prototype with a range of at least 248 miles.

Speaking with German magazine Wirtschafts Woche, Volkswagen brand chief Herbert Diess revealed the vehicle is sized similarly to the Golf but has the cargo space of a Passat. The vehicle will achieve a range between 400 and 600 km (248 and 372 miles), he noted.

The range estimate is likely based on the standards of the New European Driving Cycle, which is more generous than the EPA in its ratings. Still, it’s a huge improvement from the range offered by Volkswagen’s current electrified stable. The automaker says its 2017 e-Golf will achieve an NEDC range of up to 186 miles of range by the end of the year. Electrek estimates the EV prototype for Paris will have a range of about 300 miles, which jibes with what we’ve heard about future VW EVs.

While the Paris model is apparently just a prototype, the automaker has confirmed plans for such a vehicle to go into production. According to Diess, the concept will closely resemble the final model, which should come out in 2018 or 2019.

Volkswagen says it will introduce a new MEB platform specifically designed for EVs. Accommodating a flat-floor type battery, the platform should make plenty of space available for electrical storage. Vehicles on this platform should be able to achieve a range of 300 to 500 kilometers (about 190-310 miles), Diess told us last year.

The new concept is a step toward achieving Volkswagen’s goal for 2025. By that time, VW wants to have launched more than 30 battery electric cars. VW expects EVs to represent about 25 percent of its total sales volume, accounting for about 2-3 million pure EVs annually. Meanwhile, the automaker is also reportedly cooking up a large battery factory which could resemble Tesla’s Gigafactory.

Pictured is the Volkswagen BUDD-E Concept, which previews the automaker’s MEB platform.

Source: Electrek