VW Says Next Generation of Models will be Last to have Combustion Engines

Volkswagen’s chief of strategy, Michael Jost said that the company’s next generation of conventional cars is likely to be its last. Volkswagen is planning to roll out its next-generation gasoline and diesel cars from 2026.

Automakers are facing increasing pressure when it comes to cars powered by internal combustion engines as they are restricted by fuel economy and environmental norms which restrict carbondioxide emissions that vehicles can produce. This is why many of them are rolling out electrified models..

Michael Jost, strategy chief for Volkswagen’s namesake brand, stated at an industry conference near Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany that his colleagues are now working on the last platform for vehicles that are not CO2 neutral and is gradually phasing out combustion engines

VW Group has already launched its first wave of electric cars, including the Porsche Taycan which will be available from next year. The rollout of electrified models across the Group’s 12 brands is projected to comprise about 15 million vehicles, and the company has already allocated USD 50 billion over the next five years to spend on its development of autonomous and electrified models.

Volkswagen will begin production of the VW brand’s I.D. Neo hatchback in 12 months in Germany, and this will be followed by other models from the I.D. range which will be assembled at two sites in China as of 2020. VW will launch either fully or partly electric versions across its range of over 300 cars, vans, trucks and motorbikes by 2030.

Volkwagen is still suffering from the fallout of the emissions scandal when the company admitted to cheating on emission tests conducted for its diesel models. The scandal affected 11 million vehicles worldwide. This prompted the group to completely change its focus and aggressively pursue the development of cleaner vehicles.