Volkswagen not planning new combustion engine Golf – Automobilwoche

Volkswagen has announced that the current Golf 8 model will be the last combustion engine version of the vehicle. The company is not planning to develop a new combustion engine generation of the Golf car, according to brand chief Thomas Schaefer. Volkswagen’s decision not to invest in upgrading the Golf, which has been a bestseller in Europe for decades, marks a shift in investment by the carmaker. The focus has moved from retooling combustion engines to bringing down the cost of electric vehicles. Volkswagen aims for 80% of its sales in Europe and 55% in North America to be electric vehicles by 2030. The group targets 50% electric sales globally by that date.

The car manufacturer plans to keep the Golf name for a future electric model, which is expected to be launched in 2028 at the earliest. Volkswagen aims to bring 10 new electric models by 2026, including a battery-electric vehicle priced at less than $27,000. Speaking to the publication Automobilwoche, Schaefer said, “If the world develops completely differently than expected by 2026 or 2027, we could develop a totally new vehicle – but I don’t think it will. So far that is not expected.”

The announcement from Volkswagen indicates its commitment to electric vehicles and the phasing out of combustion engines in the coming years.