The Writing on the Wall: VW Says the Next Generation of Combustion Cars Will Be Its Last

Volkswagen expects the era of the combustion car to fade away after it rolls out its next-generation gasoline and diesel cars beginning in 2026. Traditional automakers are under increasing pressure from regulators to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions to combat climate change, prompting Volkswagen to pursue a radical shift to electric vehicles.

“Our colleagues are working on the last platform for vehicles that aren’t CO2 neutral,” Michael Jost, strategy chief for Volkswagen’s namesake brand, said Tuesday at an industry conference near the company’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. “We’re gradually fading out combustion engines to the absolute minimum.”

The world’s largest automaker has started to introduce its first wave of electric cars, including next year’s Porsche Taycan. The rollout across its stable of 12 automotive brands is forecast to comprise about 15 million vehicles, as the company earmarks $50 billion over the next five years to spend on its transformation to self-driving, electric cars.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-04/vw-says-the-next-generation-of-combustion-cars-will-be-its-last

Wherever you happen on the spectrum of automotive and motorsports enthusiast, this change has enormous implications. Most big automakers are already moving headlong in this direction, and it won't be long before gasoline and diesel engines are antiques. I wonder what this hobby will look like when my kids come of age?

Well I hope that they improve the power grid to accommodate all these electric cars that we’re supposed to be getting in the next decade. 

VW also said that it's diesels ran clean, so excuse me if I don't take their word for it

This should go pretty well considering VW track record with electrical gremlins.

In reply to nderwater :

Until there is a breakthrough in battery energy density we are likely to have at least some combustion cars. My family is already like this - we have an electric for around town/commuting and a bigger ICE car for longer trips/commuting (hobby cars aside). But we're early adopters because we live in an urban area and also have a place to charge. 

One thing in the electrics favor: maintenance is super easy!

I’ll go down kicking and screaming I know that much.

Rumor is that solid state batteries will be hitting the market by the end of 2020. That solves a number of issues including: packaging, dendrite build up, charging times, heat, and flammability.

If that happens then I can see the claim being true. Mostly I think that VW is just doing the good will / community service time for the diesel gate thing.

Out of curiosity (since I don't watch much OTA TV) has anyone else seen the video of the Subaru with the tree hugger stickers pulling up to the Bolt that VW paid for? That was a little weird.

RacetruckRon said:

This should go pretty well considering VW track record with electrical gremlins.

Just imagine if Lucas built electric cars.

Didn’t the vw cheaters now jjust get in an agreement to make cars in ford factories ??

What the hell kind of name is 'Taycan'? Porsche should go back to numbering their cars instead of naming them. 

In reply to MotorsportsGordon :

That world would be a very strange place to visit.

We keep hearing predictions about what the future will be for electric and autonomous cars too. The predictions are almost shocking in order to grab attention. Stock prices of car companies seem to be heavily affected by their vision for the future, rather than the reality of their products, or technologies to get there, or the probability of selling said products. The Chevy Bolt has very few draw backs and is a good product, at a competitive price (with tax incentives), but it doesn't sell.

I don't think widespread use of electric cars is far off, but is 2026 + 6 years the right time frame? I don't know.

Mazda is targeting CO2 emissions equivalent to an electric car with electricity produced by coal for the generation of engines after Skyactiv-X. *If* they can hit that target, a lot of pressure goes away. Europe loves their coal. I don't know that regulator could truly have a widespread ban on ICE cars when they're burning coal.

ebonyandivory said:

I’ll go down kicking and screaming I know that much.

Man ain’t that right. I’m imagining a future like IRobot. While the rest of the drones are driven around in the fancy self wiping cars, a handful of us will have a car that drives even after the robot overlords shut down the grid, or the aliens hit us with EMP bombs! 

Red Barchetta

And, seriously, yeah, just reading the news. Will more companies follow? Will it actually happen in the first place?

Is this up there with "The B-52 will be the last manned bomber?"

(I mean, technically, it might be, since it will probably outlive the B-1, B-2 and upcoming B-21, but still.)

_ said:

ebonyandivory said:

I’ll go down kicking and screaming I know that much.

Man ain’t that right. I’m imagining a future like IRobot. While the rest of the drones are driven around in the fancy self wiping cars, a handful of us will have a car that drives even after the robot overlords shut down the grid, or the aliens hit us with EMP bombs! 

Will Smith's character drove an Audi.

Will said:

Is this up there with "The B-52 will be the last manned bomber?"

(I mean, technically, it might be, since it will probably outlive the B-1, B-2 and upcoming B-21, but still.)

AFAIK, the B-52 has had its operational status extended to 2050.  So, yes, it may very well be.  Most of the people flying and maintaining the existing craft are younger than the airframes.

And I felt weird today when I realized that the CD playing in my car (the actual media) was old enough to have gotten married, had two kids, and a divorce, all after acquiring a degree in college.

(and that I was in high school when I got the CD)

Knurled. said:

And I felt weird today when I realized that the CD playing in my car (the actual media) was old enough to have gotten married, had two kids, and a divorce, all after acquiring a degree in college.

 

(and that I was in high school when I got the CD)

The cheat code on your license plate will be 25 on Monday.  Think about that.

ebonyandivory said:

I’ll go down kicking and screaming I know that much.

Why? Have you ever played with slot cars? RC cars? Driven a Tesla? I have done all and I can't wait to have instant torque all the time everywhere and cool spaceship noises. And I'm a die-hard engine-loving gearhead with two V8's and a flat 6 in the garage...

Furious_E said:

What the hell kind of name is 'Taycan'? Porsche should go back to numbering their cars instead of naming them. 

It's a riff on the Taychon, a theoretical particle that can travel faster than light.

I wont miss doing oil changes. 

I hate changing oil. Even with a lift.

In reply to Javelin :

If you believe in vw marketing it should be the wind created by the particle.

All good water cooled vw’s having been named after types of wind.

In reply to 1SlowVW :

They should have stuck with eMission. Way easier for the marketing hacks to do their thing.