Volkswagen’s first ever plug-in hybrid Passat returns 141 mpg

By Andrew Hard Published September 29, 2014

At the 2014 Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen Group will look to continue its domination over the plug-in hybrid market with the Passat GTE.

The hybrid sedan will join several other plug-ins from Porsche, Audi, and Bentley under the German automotive banner, and it will bring some impressive figures along with it.

The Passat has a similar powertrain to the Golf GTE, but Volkswagen has extracted a bit more juice for the sedan. The a 1.4-liter TSI motor now makes 154 horsepower, and the electric motor has been cranked to 114 hp. Power delivery is scaled to maximize fuel economy, resulting in a total output of 215 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque.

That’s still good for a 0 to 60 mph time of less than 8.0 seconds and a top speed of over 136 mph, specs that are made more impressive when you figure in the fuel consumption.

The Passat GTE is capable of 141 mpg on the New European Driving Cycle, and is also capable of 80 mph in the all-electric ‘E-Mode.’ It can also travel for a total of 31 miles in this setting completely emissions-free. When all energy sources are filled to the brim, however, the German sedan has a driving range of over 620 miles.

That’s a full trip from Paris to London and back with some 60 miles left over. For those in the States, that’s the same as a jaunt from Miami, Florida all the way to Charleston, South Carolina with change to spare.

Related: Details emerge on the 2018 Volkswagen Phaeton

The Passat also grants drivers a high level of control when it comes to driving style. For those gallon-stretching cross-country trips, the aforementioned ‘E-Mode’ will get you the most mile markers for you dollar. If you’re looking for a little more backbone in the passing line, though, the ‘GTE’ button unlocks the engine’s full output.

Both sedan and wagon versions of the GTE will be launched in the UK late next year.

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Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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