For decades, the classic Volkswagen Golf has been enjoyed by the Australian motorist looking for a vehicle that both fuses European performance with comfortable, family friendly aspects. On the other hand, as the car world turns on its head with staggering rapidity via an all-electric revolution, Australian Golf fans are in a strange limbo – awaiting the local release of the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants selling-up in Europe for a number of years.
Pairing the best of conventional petrol engines with electric motors – ensuring fuel-less forward motion and diminished emissions – PHEV versions of the Golf remain nowhere to be seen Down Under. This omission begs questions about Volkswagen’s path to EV enlightenment in the Australian market, and highlights the difficulties Australia faces in shifting to an electric car market.
QUESTION: Repeating the issue; Volkswagen has been widely reported as saying that it simply cannot afford to bring the plug-in hybrid Golf to Australia, is that correct?308 Mr Griffiths : That is the case and the plug-in hybrids, from a business perspective, have become quite a challenge in the Australian market because the infrastructure to support the plug-in hybrids is costly to implement. And we see on the policy side, we don’t have a consistent view of tax policy and incentives to support the plug-in hybrid in Australia and that is as much to do with the end of the car plan as anything. Instead, the company cites Australia’s laxer emissions standards, compared to Europe, stemming the regulatory tide of low-emission variants. The pricing equation is also a bit of a problem; with the extra value of PHEV tech, the Golf has the potential to end up costing well into the bracket of it being unlikely to attract a typical buyer or 2.
Industry commentators say Volkswagen’s careful approach reflects a wider sense of uncertainty around PHEV technology in the Australian market. Full electric vehicles, have been widely adopted, but PHEVs sit in a sweet spot that Australian consumers haven’t been as keen to explore as others. The higher price relative to conventional vehicles and the idea that PHEVs are transitional technology have resulted in a difficult business case.
The GTE PHEV range topper, successful in Europe, is conspicuous by its absence in the current eighth-generation Golf range in Australia. With its 1.4-litre turbocharged engine mated to an electric motor, it has an output of about 180kW and could be the perfect blend of performance and economy for Australian driving and distances too.
Market reseach suggests that Australians are, to their credit, pragmatic about electrification. Some of the issues that are contributing to this being the case includes a vast country with comparable cheap fuel and a charging infrastructure which is very patchy outside of big cities certainly do not auger well for a market that is not immediatley apparent to consumers like those in Europe where everything is more crowded in many respects.
Volkswagen’s international plans have changed considerably over the last couple years as the brand has invested heavily in its ID electric vehicle family. Such an emphasis on fully electric models may have the consequence of making PHEV versions second tier in markets like ours (in which the company is constantly evaluating where best to spend its local resources for product), where the company simply has to focus on the products likeliest to stir a drink.
Highly Competitive Small car competition has grown to such an extent that many automakers now have a hybrid model choice which is more efficient than its non-hybridized version, less expensive and not complicated than plug-in alternatives. This market sump has given Volkswagen a more difficult decision to make as to whether or not to bring the Golf PHEV to Australia.
The lack of the Golf PHEV so far this long many years is a big disappointment to environmentalists and tech geeks. They say the vehicles would be the perfect stepping stone for the most reluctant drivers who are not quite ready to go fully electric, but still want to do their part for the planet. The PHEV’s capacity to operate as a zero-emission vehicle for the drive to and from work, before transforming into a conventional car for longer trips is an attractive proposition Australian Golf customers are still locked out of.
According to Volkswagen dealers, demand for electrified models.SOURCE must be a demand there for PHEV versions of its product. But dependent on how soon it will be introduced, it is only possible for sales staff to pass interested customers over to the conventional TSI and GTI models for the time being.
The automotive manufacturing landscape in Australia is changing rapidly, and electric vehicle sales continue to increase year on year, albeit off a very low base. Emissions and incentives Emissions regulations and incentives for ultra-green vehicles vary state by state, creating a complicated regulatory environment for automakers.
And we are hearing from industry experts that VW’s mixed messages regarding the Golf PHEV is all part of a bigger strategic assessment of where Australia fits in the course of the global electrification timetable. Given production restraints of PHEV products, the company seems to have selected markets with tight regulations and higher acceptance of electrified cars.
With the next-generation Golf still some way around the corner, it’s anyone’s guess as to what the future holds for the Golf PHEV in Australia. Volkswagen has not ruled out the possibility of launching these variants at a later date, but has since then not given any time frame. It seems the company is concentrating on its ID series of pure electric cars at the moment, with the ID. 4 SUV likely to lead Volkswagen’s significant electrification push in Australia.
For Golf fans excited to get on the electrification bandwagon, they will have to wait. The iconic hatch which has been refined through eight generations without losing its core essence now has arguably its biggest evolution — but Australians are going to have to wait for the plug-in punch which has already revolutionised Golf driving in other parts of the world.
Volkswagen Golf Plug In Hybrid Remains Out of Reach for Australian Buyers
Where the automotive world (and Volkswagen itself) is hurtling towards an electric future, the fact that there is no Golf PHEV for Australia also makes one consider that this global transition to electric mobility will not roll out at a consistent speed. Market-specific considerations will continue to influence manufacturers’ product planning, even for cars as globally iconic as the Volkswagen Golf.