Here are the specifications we know at this point about the Upcoming Cars in 2011 Volkswagen Golf Twindrive:
Fuel economy: runs 30 miles on electricity; gas engine’s economy unknown
Engine: 1.4-liter direct injection four cylinder (expected for production); lithium ion battery
Acceleration: gas powered engine will be assisted by the electric motor for acceleration.
Car safety features: more than likely, the Twindrive will have standard safety features like antilock brakes, stability and traction control, side curtain airbags, and front side airbags
Warranty: three-year/36,000 mile basic warranty; five-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty.
As the price of petrol and diesel keeps rising, car manufacturers the world over are speeding up the development of next generation propulsion units for electric cars to mitigate possible short-term profit loses as buyers move away from petrol-powered vehicles.
One such example has emerged at Volkswagen, which has just released the Golf Twin Drive in Germany and is the European car maker's first plug-in hybrid car.
A fleet of around 20 vehicles has been handed over to the German government to use and test before any major marketing commitments are made.
