Volkswagen quietly abandoned plans to release hybrid pickups
Volkswagen abandoned its plans to release fully electric or plug-in hybrid modifications of the global version of the Amarok pickup. The German automaker decided to retain the customary lineup of diesel and gasoline powertrains.
What is known
The global version of the Volkswagen Amarok is built on the Ford Ranger base under an agreement with Ford Motor. The American brand's pickup has already received a plug-in hybrid modification, which combines a 2.3-liter gasoline turbo engine with an electric motor. A battery with a capacity of 11.8 kWh provides a range of about 40 km (25 miles) exclusively on electric power.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Volkswagen was considering creating an electrified Amarok, especially since it already had access to the Ranger's compatible hybrid system. However, it seems this interest has waned.
According to the Australian publication CarExpert, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles CEO Stefan Mecha "made it clear that at this stage, the development of a hybrid and electric-powered Amarok is no longer being discussed in this generation." He emphasized that this is a global decision.
At the same time, Nathan Johnson, brand director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, hinted that the "door to electrification" remains open for the next Amarok, which may appear closer to the end of the decade.
The current generation debuted in 2022, so it will be several years before a successor arrives, but by then hybridization is likely to become standard practice among pickups of this class, making the appearance of a hybrid or electric version almost inevitable.
Meanwhile, in South America, Volkswagen continues to produce and sell the first-generation Amarok on its own platform. An updated version of this pickup was released last year, with a completely new successor planned for 2027. The future model will receive a platform from the Chinese manufacturer SAIC, and such a pickup will be produced in Argentina.
Source: CarExpert
