VW plug-in hybrid tech for 'every segment'

Volkswagen has confirmed it will offer a plug-in hybrid in every class in the future, from small cars to SUVs.

Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser, VW's board member for development, told What Car? that Volkswagen plans to spread the technology across the company's range.

'We have the strategy to bring these engines in every segment. That means starting from the smallest one up to the highest.'

Currently Volkswagen offers just one hybrid, the Golf GTE plug-in, which combines a 1.4-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to produce an official fuel economy of 188mpg, 35g/km CO2 emissions and a 30-mile pure electric range.

Dr Neusser said that this is set to expand significantly though, saying: 'In the future it will be everywhere, I am not sure if it will be on every model, but definitely in every segment.'

Volkswagen has also made the super efficient XL1 diesel plug-in hybrid, but this is limited to a very small production run.