Volkswagen is responding to the climate debate by putting three hybrid cars and one pure electric on sale.


Martin Winterkorn told journalists in Lisbon that the next generation Golf will be available with mild hybrid or automatic start-stop technology but did not give a date for the launch. There will also be a full hybrid version of the next Touareg, that will be able to travel short distances in pure electric mode, and a plug-in hybrid version of the Jetta.


A new electric car with a lithium-ion battery will be based on the Up! concept and should go into limited volume production in 2010.


Winterkorn stressed that, while new hybrid technologies play a role, diesel and petrol internal combustion engines will continue to be important for many years to come.

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