Volkswagen Amarok EV being thought of, PHEV no nearer

There have been whispers of electrified Volkswagen Amarok variants for a while, and up to date feedback recommend a battery-electric ute remains to be greater on the precedence listing than a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The present-generation Volkswagen Amarok launched in 2023 and utilises a platform shared with the top-selling Ford Ranger. Regardless of Ford’s latest reveal of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model of its Ranger, Volkswagen’s place on such a powertrain for its ute seemingly hasn’t modified.

Talking with British publication Autocar in 2022, Volkswagen Business Autos board member answerable for advertising and marketing, Lars Krause, outlined the model was “critically contemplating” a pure-electric model of the Amarok over a PHEV, citing electrical driving vary shortfalls.

On the native launch for Volkswagen’s new-generation Multivan, Mr Krause echoed his sentiment to CarExpert that an electrical Amarok would “undoubtedly” kind a part of the range-wide electrification of the model’s industrial autos.

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“We’re electrifying our full vary of autos, and this features a BEV [battery-electric vehicle] model of Amarok. That’s into account undoubtedly,” he stated.

It’s unclear whether or not this is able to be throughout the present era of Volkswagen’s ute.

He didn’t rule out an Amarok PHEV totally both, however stated the introduction of that powertrain could be as much as the client.

“We’re analysing it, it’s a chance, however on the finish it follows the client demand,” Mr Krause advised CarExpert.

“To date, the client demand leads us within the path of diesel, but when the client demand is large enough to additionally convert a enterprise case based mostly on plug-in hybrid, that’s an possibility.”

PHEV gross sales have soared in Australia over the previous couple of years, with the BYD Shark 6 PHEV ute even turning into the sixth best-selling automobile in our market in March.

Nonetheless, this huge PHEV gross sales development has come from a low base, whereas the elimination of the Fringe Advantages Tax (FBT) exemption for PHEVs from April 1 might see this development come again all the way down to earth.

Regardless, Ford is launching its Ranger PHEV right here this yr, and it’ll face competitors not solely from the rival BYD ute but additionally the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV.

It’s anticipated that if an Amarok PHEV have been to be produced, Volkswagen would leverage its partnership with Ford to utilise powertrain tech developed for the Ranger – significantly given all present Amarok powertrains are from Ford.

Ford’s ute will use a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated with a 75kW electrical motor and an 11.8kWh battery pack. That is stated to offer the Ranger PHEV an electrical driving vary of 49km on the NEDC cycle whereas contributing to a gasoline financial system declare of simply 2.9L/100km.

The PHEV powertrain will likely be along with the 4 engines already supplied within the Ranger domestically, which comprise single- and bi-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesels, a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, and the three.0-litre turbo V6 petrol reserved for the Raptor.

The Amarok, in the meantime, is presently supplied with 4 engines borrowed from Ford: the three aforementioned diesels, plus a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol that’s supplied within the Ranger in markets just like the US.

It’s additionally value noting that whereas Australian-delivered Rangers are inbuilt Thailand, our Ranger PHEV and Amarok are each inbuilt South Africa. Commonplace Rangers are additionally constructed there however delivered elsewhere.

Volkswagen Australia has beforehand stated it desires electrical variations of the Amarok and full-size Crafter van.

Within the US, Volkswagen has already revealed an electrical ute with the Terra ute, developed for its newly established Scout model.

This can enter manufacturing within the US in 2027 and shapes as a substitute for the likes of the Rivian R1T, although for now it has solely been confirmed for left-hand drive manufacturing.

The German large can be changing the first-generation Amarok nonetheless produced in Argentina with a automobile developed with SAIC Motor, which is known to be an in depth relation to the LDV Terron 9/MG U9 twins.

This ute will likely be offered in South America, although it’s unclear if Volkswagen will provide a model of the associated, electric-powered eTerron 9.

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