Currently reading: Volkswagen: electric and combustion-engined cars will co-exist for at least 20 years

Despite growing demand for EVs, Volkswagen believes petrol and diesel cars will sell for at least two more decades

Volkswagen will continue to develop petrol and diesel engines long into the future, because it believes demand for combustion engines will continue beyond the 2030s.

Speaking on the eve of the Paris motor show, VW CEO Matthias Müller said: “The future is electric. Nevertheless, classic powertrains will continue to play a key role for the next two decades at least.”

Müller explained that while Volkswagen was to invest heavily in developing electric models, of which 30 are planned before the year 2025, it is committed to working with petrol and diesel engines.

"Regardless of all the new opportunities and possibilities the mobility world of tomorrow opens up for us, we must not neglect our existing technologies and core competences,” he said.

Müller made reference to the ongoing Dieselgate scandal, and said that it will have a profound effect on Volkswagen’s path. "It is and will remain an incisive turning point, a pivotal event in our history. We are working with all available resources to get to the roots of this crisis and work our way through all of the issues.”

Volkswagen’s push for an electric future is emphasised with the establishment of a Sustainability Council, which will feature nine well-known experts from the fields of science, politics and society.

Volkswagen says the council will advise its board of management on sustainability matters.

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LP in Brighton 29 September 2016

No reason for them not to be complementary

A small combustion engine can enhance an electric car when used as a range extender, while an electric motor can be used to yield better efficiency from a petrol or diesel car. So I think we'll see a whole range of transport solutions with varying degrees of electrification before pure electric cars become predominant. And maybe by that time, the fuel cell will have advanced sufficiently to make it sensible to generate electricity at the point of use rather than storing it in batteries?
ersatz 28 September 2016

Don't know why they bother

Having previously driven ICE cars for 18 years, and now owned an EV for 6 months, it is clear that the writing is on the wall for the ICE. They're quieter, incredibly responsive and just fun to drive in a way most ICE are not.

I actually don't know why VW bother - instead of putting a cent more into diesel they should invest in electric fast. What worries me is, that whilst this looks nice, VW are aiming for a launch date of 2025. I am unsure however what it can do that a £50K Tesla can't do 9 years earlier. They're playing serious catch up.