Volkswagen has fleshed out its plans to expand its fleet of electric vehicles and become the market leader in electric drive vehicles by 2018.

In addition to the production Touareg Hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show, next year will see a test fleet of 500 electric Golfs.

Two years later in 2013, the German manufacturer predicts these high-volume Golf and Jetta models will “dominate the hybrid and electric vehicle market”.

Volkswagen has now established a clear launch schedule for its electric vehicles – known as E-mobility.

“Volkswagen will be taking E-mobility to mass production,” confirmed Dr Winterkorn, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen AG.

“In 2011, we are expanding our test fleet by adding 500 Golfs with electric drive. A hybrid version of the Jetta for the US market follows in 2012. Starting in 2013, the E-UP goes into production. The goal is to become the market leader in E-mobility by the year 2018.

"We want to attain an electric vehicle market share of three percent within our entire range of products. We will take the hybrid out of its niche status with our high-volume models. In the future, the heart of the brand will also beat with electricity.”

The VW Group’s various brands will be conducting field studies of electric vehicles in Europe, North America and China in upcoming months.

In the meantime, it has confirmed that hybrid will be its stepping stone between combustions engines and full electric powertrains.

“We will continue to systematically exploit the potential of internal combustion engines with the goal of significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

"So over the mid-term, vehicles with electric drives and those with internal combustion engines will co-exist,” said Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann, group chief officer for electric traction.

The market launch schedule for pure electric cars has also been confirmed
 

• The E-UP will kick off the programme in 2013
• The E-Golf will then be introduced
• Followed closely by the launch of the E-Jetta.
• In subsequent years, a modular E-traction approach will systematically extend electrification to other model series.

Meanwhile the hybrid launch schedule is
 

• The Jetta Hybrid will debut in August 2012
• The Passat Hybrid in August 2013
• The Golf Hybrid in October 2013
   

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