Report

VW's next big EV plan? Flat batteries

Electrification and digital innovation are the big bets at Volkswagen right now, what with diesel being a tricky subject, and all. The VW brand's internal magazine Insight interviewed leader Herbert Diess, who said a "breakthrough" is coming with engineers "developing a special vehicle architecture that foresees the installation of flat batteries." This is a big move, up to now Volkswagen having touted the novel shapes it was making of battery packs to get the most range out of offerings like the e-Golf.

VW's shift to a flat battery pack will likely have a future with the MEB architecture announced in October, which will serve a multi-brand series of compact passenger and commercial EVs with ranges between 155 and 311 miles. Back in April the automaker revealed it was working on a retro-inspired electric camper van, and the flat battery pack might make an appearance in the aforementioned architecture when the concept is shown off at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show.

We'll definitely be watching. It's a safe bet the company is going full-on with new initiatives, its global sales set to drop year-on-year for the first time in 11 years.

Volkswagen Information

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