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Automakers not currently promoting EVs are probably doomed

Okay, let's be honest. The sky isn't falling – gas prices are. In fact, some experts say that prices at the pump will remain depressed for the next decade. Consumers have flocked to SUVs and CUVs, reversing the upward trend in US fuel economy seen over the last several years. A sudden push into electric vehicles seems ridiculous when gas guzzlers are selling so well. Make hay while the sun shines, right? A quick glance at some facts and figures provides evidence that the automakers currently doubling down on internal combustion probably have some rocky years ahead of them. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is a prime example of a volume manufacturer devoted to incremental gains for existing powertrains. Though FCA will kill off some of its more fuel-efficient models, part of its business plan involves replacing four- and five-speed transmissions with eight- and nine-speed units, yielding a fuel efficiency boost in the vicinity of ten percent over the next few years. Recent developments by battery startups have led some to suggest that efficiency and capacity could increase by over 100 percent in the same time. Research and development budgets paint a grim picture for old guard companies like Fiat Chrysler: In 2014, FCA spent about $1,026 per car sold on R&D, compared with about $24,783 per car sold for Tesla. To be fair, FCA can't be expected to match Tesla's efforts when its entry-level cars list for little more than half that much. But even more so than R&D, the area in which newcomers like Tesla have the industry licked is infrastructure. We often forget that our vehicles are mostly useless metal boxes without access to the network of fueling stations that keep them rolling. While EVs can always be plugged in at home, their proliferation depends on a similar network of charging stations that can allow for prolonged travel. Tesla already has 597 of its 480-volt Superchargers installed worldwide, and that figure will continue to rise. Porsche has also proposed a new 800-volt "Turbo Charging Station" to support the production version of its Mission E concept, and perhaps other VW Auto Group vehicles. As EVs grow in popularity, investment in these proprietary networks will pay off — who would buy a Chevy if the gas stations served only Ford owners? If anyone missed the importance of infrastructure, it's Toyota.

2015 VW e-Golf gets cheaper Limited Editon, starts at $33,450*

Typically when an automaker announces a new limited edition of one of its models, it comes at a premium. Maybe the extra cost turns out to be worth it due to bundled options, but there's almost always a cost. But not with the new Volkswagen e-Golf Limited Edition. For this model, VW has gone the opposite direction by cutting equipment out of the electric hatchback and charging less for it. Compared to the SEL Premium model, the Limited Edition of the e-Golf drops the alloys in favor of 16-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights in place of LEDs, cloth upholstery instead of leatherette, and drops the heat-pump system. As a result, the e-Golf costs $2,000 less, priced at $33,450 (*before delivery) and available to lease for $229 per month. For that, you still get the electric motor with 199 pound-feet of torque, 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery and 7.2 kW onboard charger and class-leading energy consumption. VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES A NEW TRIM LINE FOR THE FULLY-ELECTRIC 2015 e-GOLF - e-Golf Limited Edition model goes on sale with a starting price of $33,450 - Drivetrain consists of 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery and an electric motor with 199 pound-feet of torque; 7.2 kW onboard charger is standard - Standard fast charging capability allows up to 80 percent battery charge in 30 minutes - EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 116 combined MPGe puts e-Golf at top of the 2015 EPA Compact Size Class - A great value, with a host of features that include KESSY® Keyless access with push-button start, navigation system, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) with C-shaped light signature, and more Herndon, VA – Volkswagen of America, Inc., today, announced that a lower-priced version of the fully-electric 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf will go on sale at participating dealerships. The 2015 e-Golf Limited Edition is priced nearly $2,000 less than its SEL counterpart at $33,450, without compromising performance, quality, or versatility. The e-Golf Limited Edition is also available at a monthly lease price of $229, plus applicable fees. The e-Golf Limited Edition is built on the same sporty Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform as the rest of the award-winning Golf family. It is powered by a compact electric motor and a 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery (built in-house at the Volkswagen facility in Braunschweig, Germany), and offers 115 horsepower and class-leading torque of 199 pound feet.

Piech and Winterkorn still at odds about VW leadership plan

Volkswagen Group Chairman Ferdinand Piech (above, right) and CEO Martin Winterkorn (above, left) will be meeting in the coming days to discuss who the next leader of the Volkswagen Group will be. This, of course, comes after a report last Friday in Der Spiegel where Piech said he didn't want Winterkorn to be the automaker's next chairman. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that conference room. As Automotive News reports, Winterkorn had been widely viewed as the probable replacement for the 77-year-old Piech, until last week, when the current chairman said he was keeping the CEO "at a distance," in the German paper. While Winterkorn confirmed to German media on Monday that he still had a job, analysts aren't sure what Piech's comments will mean for the 67-year-old CEO's future, with some indicating he may end up being a "lame duck" leader. According to AN, Piech doesn't think that Winterkorn has the vision to lead the sprawling Volkswagen Group empire, even though the current CEO has the support of a number of other VAG stakeholders. "Piech knows what he is doing and will assume that he can get the supervisory board to implement his decisions," former BMW executive turned analyst Helmut Becker told German media, AN reports. Winterkorn has just over 18 months left on his contract, while Piech's term has another two years left on it, meaning it will still be some time before we find out how the Volkswagen Group's leadership issues play out.