Let’s hit the throttle and dive straight into the bonkers reality of 2025. Volkswagen, the folks who brought us the Golf, the Passat, and those trendy ID. models, have cooked up something that sounds like it’s ripped from a sci-fi flick: electric cars you can optionally equip with a combustion engine. Yep, you heard that right. An EV with a gas-guzzler as a side dish. What in the world is this madness?
It all kicks off with Volkswagen’s new toy, the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). This isn’t just another dull foundation for their cars; it’s like a Swiss Army knife for the future. It replaces the current MEB platform, which already underpins models like the ID.3 and ID. Buzz, and it promises a revolution. Not just for electric Volkswagens, but also for their cousins at Audi, Skoda, and Seat. This platform is so versatile it makes room for something we rarely see in EV land: a combustion engine as a range extender. Not a hybrid that drives the wheels, but a little engine that hums in the background to charge your battery. Think of it as a generator that gives your range a swift kick in the pants.
Why on earth would you want this? Well, the world isn’t quite ready to go full electric yet. Charging stations can be scarcer than decent pubs in a small village, and some drivers still get the jitters at the thought of running out of juice halfway through a road trip to the south of France. Volkswagen gets it and offers this range extender as a kind of insurance policy. You get the silence and instant torque of an EV, but with an old-school combustion engine as a backup. It’s like buying a Tesla with a jerrycan of petrol in the boot, just in case.
Let’s be real: this is a bit like opening a vegan restaurant that sneaks a steak onto the menu. It feels like a nod to the old guard, the petrolheads who still swear by the rumble of a four-cylinder. And honestly, who can blame them? There’s something magical about the roar of an engine, something an electric car, no matter how fast, can’t quite replicate. Still, it’s a clever move by Volkswagen. They’re appealing to the fence-sitters, the folks who want to go electric but aren’t ready to fully commit to the plug.
The SSP platform, by the way, is more than just a gimmick for range extenders. It’s the backbone for no fewer than eight new Volkswagen models, including the much-anticipated electric Golf. And that’s just the start. This platform is so scalable it can handle everything from compact city cars to posh Audi models. It’s also more efficient, with better electric motors and a smarter layout, meaning more range without lugging around a battery the size of a garden shed.
But there’s a catch. The whole project has hit delays, mostly due to software issues. Volkswagen has shown before that they’re not always great at taming bits and bytes. Remember the ID.3, which launched with software so glitchy it felt like you were driving a beta version of Windows 95? Let’s hope they’ve got their act together this time, because a range extender that crashes due to a software bug is the last thing you need on a deserted highway.
Then there’s the bigger picture. Europe wants to ban new combustion-engine cars by 2035, but Volkswagen seems to have found a loophole. By using the engine as a range extender, not a direct drive, they’re technically playing by the rules. It’s a crafty trick, but you wonder how long they can keep this up before the green brigade in Brussels starts grumbling. For now, it seems like a practical way to ease the transition to full electric driving.
And what about the competition? They’re not sitting idle. Fiat, for instance, has already announced that their electric 500e will get a hybrid sibling, built on a platform originally meant for EVs only. And Horse Powertrain has come up with a kit to retrofit EVs with a combustion engine. It’s a weird world we live in, folks. It’s as if the auto industry suddenly decided the grass is greener on both sides of the fence.
So, what’s the verdict? Volkswagen’s plan is bold, smart, and a tad controversial. It’s a middle finger to the purists who think EVs should stay sacred, but also a warm hug for the pragmatists who just want a car that works, no matter the powertrain. Whether it’s a hit will depend on how well they pull it off. If the range extender is reliable, the software doesn’t flop, and the price doesn’t skyrocket, this could be a game-changer. But if they botch it, it’ll be an expensive experiment that’s quickly forgotten.
For now, we can only wait and marvel at how the auto industry keeps reinventing itself. And if you’re itching to dive into the world of cars, whether you’re after a roaring gas-guzzler or a whisper-quiet EV, check out our marketplace at https://volty.be/nl/buy/cars/overview/. You’ll find plenty to make your car-crazy heart race.
