TheVolkswagenGolfisoneofthetop-sellingcarsever,withabout30millionsold.(ThefirstGolfscameoutinthemid-1970s.)Recently,itwasannouncedthattherewillbeagas-electricplug-inhybridversioncomingsoon.CalledtheGTE,itwillhavetwoengines.Thegas-poweredenginewillbe1.4liters,willbeturbo-charged,andwillhavedirectinjection.Also,a107hpelectricmotorwillbepairedwitha8.8kwhlithium-ionbattery.
Thecostisn’tknownyet,butthefolksatInsideEVssaiditmightbeinthelowtomid$30,000s,abithigherthanweheardinNovember.
Someotherspecs:
Totaldrivingrangewithgasandelectricmotors:600miles
Electric-onlyrange:31miles
Rechargingtime:2hours
AutoWeektestdroveaprototypeandsaiditgotalmost60mpg.TheGTEmightbeaneffectivehead-to-headcompetitorwiththeToyotaPriusPlug-in,especiallywithitssportierappeal.Itssibling,theGTI,hasbeenknowntobebothquickandnimble,sotheGTEmightinheritsomeofthesesamecharacteristics.ThePriusseemstobemoreofatypicalsedate,butefficientcommutervehicle.AnotherhybridcompetitorinthesamepricerangeistheChevyVolt,whichmaynotbeasquickorasathleticinitshandlingastheforthcomingGTE,sotheGTEmightdowellcompetingagainsttheVoltaswell.