Autocar confidential: No way like Norway, VW's EV democracy and more
Our reporters empty their notebooks to round up a week in gossip from across the automotive industry
In this week's round-up of automotive gossip we hear why Ford thinks Norway is leading the way for EV adoption, why the Arteon eHybrid holds the key to electrifying all VW's models and more.
*The Norway to go for EVs*
Ford of Britain's boss has cited Norway as an example of how the adoption of EVs can be encouraged. Graham Hoare said: “The Norway experience since 1990 has seen significant activities to build confidence with customers, to create infrastructure and to support customer decisions that ultimately have enabled that economy to fully adopt electrification, and plug-ins and fully electric vehicles are now about 70% of the marketplace. But really it has taken 30 years, and it’s that consistency of purpose that has been so essential.”
*VW's electric democracy*
The new Arteon eHybrid will play a key role in Volkswagen’s plans to electrify all its models from the Golf upwards, unlike previous GTE variants. “We want to democratise our electrified powertrains, so we’ve made it available on volume trims,” marketing boss Hendrik Muth said.
*Launch window closed*
Big launch events for new cars are “probably” over, according to Citroën’s marketing boss. The firm recently launched its new C4 online, with some 2600 journalists asking questions by rapidly typing them into a box and hoping they would be read out in a 20-minute session. Arnaud Belloni said: “We have to think about the benefits: we can reach more people online and with no need for travel.”
*JLR sticks on diesel*
Jaguar Land Rover will continue to invest in diesels, and plug-in hybrid versions are under consideration. Product engineering boss Nick Rogers said “super-clean” diesels are a “valid mode of transport” and “if you can combine that with a PHEV, in normal or city usage, you can be completely clean and silent”.
*READ MORE*
*New Citroen C4: electric e-C4 to offer 217-mile range *
*Jaguar Land Rover to electrify model range from 2020 *
*Volkswagen readies new Tiguan and Arteon GTE hybrids*