Volkswagen Reveals Passat GTE Plug-In Hybrid

At the heart of the front-wheel drive Passat GTE is a modular petrol-electric hybrid system shared with the Golf GTE. It uses a specially tuned version of Volkswagen's widely used turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine that develops 115kW at 5500rpm.

The transversely-mounted combustion engine is supported by an electric motor set within the forward section of the new car's standard six-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, where it delivers 85kW and 330Nm of torque.

More powerful than the unit used in the Golf GTE, the disc shaped synchronous electric motor is capable of propelling the Passat GTE both independently for limited distance zero local emission capability and in combination with the petrol engine.

Energy for the electric motor is provided by a 9.9kWh lithium ion battery mounted under the rear seat. Some 1.2kWh larger in capacity than that used by the Golf GTE, it can be charged on the run via recuperated kinetic energy and the petrol engine or alternatively by plug-in means via a socket within the grille.

Charging time on a standard 240 volt system is claimed to take 4 hours 15mins. Customers can also choose an optional wallbox that operates at 360 volts and is claimed to reduce the charging time to 2 hours 30mins.

Together, the Passat GTE's petrol engine and electric motor deliver a combined system output of 160kW and 400Nm of torque, endowing it with 10kW and 50Nm more than the Golf GTE.