Volkswagen Group of America CEO Pablo Di Si wants to bring hybrids back to the VW's U.S. lineup, Automotive News reports.
VW hasn't sold a hybrid in the U.S. since the Jetta Hybrid was pulled from the lineup in 2017 after a three-year production run, but Di Si said in the interview that he's trying to change the minds of VW brand management in Germany.
2014 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
"I've been fighting for [hybrids]—fighting is the right word—but I think we're close to moving forward," Di Si said, pointing to a Tiguan plug-in hybrid that's due to launch in Europe this year as an example of hybrid tech that could be repurposed for the U.S. market.
VW showed a Tiguan plug-in hybrid concept at the 2016 Detroit auto show, called the Tiguan GTE Active, with an emphasis on off-road capability. But it was based on a European-market model, and the U.S.-market Tiguan diverged from that with a redesign the following year.
Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active Concept
A redesigned Tiguan for the U.S. is due to be revealed at the 2024 Los Angeles auto show in November, but Di Si indicated to Automotive News that it won't launch with a hybrid option. And the executive did not give any hint of a timeline for when VW hybrids might reach the U.S.
There may, partly, be concern of overlap with VW's U.S.-made ID.4 EV. VW positioned the ID.4 as a value-focused alternative to the RAV4 and CR-V hybrids. Now that the ID.4 qualifies for the $7,500 EV tax credit, it works out to that in up-front cost.
Di Si earlier this year also told Motor Authority that VW was considering a plug-in hybrid pickup truck for the U.S. This would likely be a unibody vehicle sharing a platform with the next-generation Atlas crossover SUV. But a redesign of that model could be years away, pushing the pickup even further out.
