Skip to main content

Volkswagen predicts EV driving range will surpass 300 miles by 2020

Volkswagen Passat GTE
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Whether they’re designed for economy or hypercar performance, electric vehicles and hybrids are the biggest thing in motoring right now. They’re able to deliver excellent low-end torque and performance, they’re reliable, and most importantly, they don’t directly pollute.

The biggest criticism of EVs currently (other than cost) is their paltry driving range. Most pure electrics have a range less than 120 miles, making them effectively useless for people with long commutes or who live in scattered markets like Australia, Canada, and even parts of the United States.

Volkswagen Group’s Head of Powertrain Development, Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, recently told Motoring that although plug-in hybrids are an effective “bridging technology,” the future of efficient motoring lies with the improvement of battery systems.

Related: Volkswagen’s first ever plug-in hybrid Passat returns 141 mpg

“Battery [technology] makes the biggest steps in very short time frames,” Neusser said. “If you look at when we started with the e-mobility of the Golf, and you look now to the Passat, we have done the first step.”

“We have much more energy density in the batteries [than before],” he continued, “and in 2015-2016 will come the next step, which means we come from 25 to 28 amp hours density (Ah) to 36-37 Ah. Now, we are actually working on the next step to around 60 Ah.”

For those lacking electronics savvy, Neusser helped put those numbers in context.

“I expect the next generation in 2015-2017 will increase to around 300 km (186 miles),” he said, “and the following step will be around 500-600 km (310-372 miles).”

Neusser emphasizes that has power levels increase, the charging infrastructure of the market will need to change with it. One encouraging bit of news comes from California, where lawmakers are proposing an addendum to the state building code that requires basic EV charging architecture to be present in new construction parking lots and homes.

Editors' Recommendations

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Big EVs are almost here: 7 upcoming electric SUVs we’re excited for
Rear three quarter view of the 2024 Volvo EX90.

SUVs are all the rage. So are EVs. It makes sense, therefore, that the Tesla Model Y is the world's best selling car. But that begs the question -- how much of the Tesla Model Y being so popular is just because of the fact that it's one of the very few large-size electric cars out there?

Well, we're about to find out. A number of electric SUVs have been announced, and many will be released in the very near future. This is far from a list of all the upcoming electric SUVs -- but it is a list of the ones we're most excited about.
Lucid Gravity

Read more
How to maximize EV range in hot weather, according to the experts
ChargePoint Home EV charger plugged into car.

The biggest drawback to owning an electric car is having to get used to and constantly dealing with a more limited range. Unless you're driving a Lucid Air, your electric car likely drives a shorter distance on a full charge than the average gas-powered car on a full tank. And considering how slowly some EVs charge, that means that you're likely thinking about range, often.

There are a few things that can lower the range even further, too. Very cold temperatures are one of those things -- but it turns out, very hot temperatures can do the same. And, with the heat waves that have swept the world in 2023, that's an issue that's affecting more and more EV drivers out there.

Read more
Can EVs be clean on a dirty electric grid?
Electrical power lines cast against a blue sky.

While the world moves towards electrifying as many cars as possible, it's only a part of solving the climate equation. Those electric vehicles still need to get charged, and if that power is generated by the likes of coal and, to a lesser extent, methane, it undercuts the cuts in emissions we're aiming for.

Some EV critics claim that a dirty electrical grid completely negates any good an electric vehicle can do. But is that true? Let's take a closer look at how a dirty grid affects the emissions of an electric vehicle.

Read more