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VW invests in QuantumScape for potentially fireproof, long-range EV batteries

VW might be getting ready to push its plug-in technology in a big way thanks to an investment in the battery startup QuantumScape. Key point: the solid-state battery is said to be fireproof and will offer tremendous range advantages. Details are not abundant yet, but according to Bloomberg, VW of America bought a five-percent stake in QuantumScape (and has an option to raise its holding). The tech could "more than triple" the EV range of VW, Porsche and Audi plug-in vehicles as soon as the middle of 2015, according to unnamed sources that Bloomberg talked to. Former Stanford University researchers started QuantumScape in 2010. The bare-bones QuantumScape website (there's nothing there other than some contact information) doesn't offer many hints about what's happening at the company, but GigaOM's Katie Fehrenbacher notes that QuantumScape is licensing tech from the "All Electron Battery" project at Stanford a few years ago. It certainly sounds amazing: [It's] a completely new class of electrical energy storage devices for electric vehicles that has the potential to provide ultra-high energy and power densities, while enabling extremely high cycle life. The All-Electron Battery stores energy by moving electrons, rather than ions, and uses electron/hole redox instead of capacitive polarization of a double-layer. ... If successful, this project will develop a completely new paradigm in energy storage for electrified vehicles that could revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. If that's what's coming in a future e-Golf or E-Tron, sign us up.

Only VW, Volvo are doing enough to electrify in Europe, study says

Among major carmakers, Volkswagen and Volvo are doing enough to electrify their vehicle lineups in Europe, and the EU needs to set tougher CO2 emission limits if it wants to meet Green Deal targets, according to a climate group's study. Sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids almost tripled last year, boosted by tighter emission standards and government subsidies. This summer, the European Union is expected to announce more ambitious CO2 targets; by 2030, the average CO2 emissions of new cars should be 50% below 2021 levels, versus the existing target of 37.5%. Volkswagen aims to have 55% group-wide BEV sales in Europe by 2030, while Swedish carmaker Volvo, owned by China's Geely says its lineup will be fully electric by then. VW ID4 front three quarter dark View 19 Photos Based on IHS Markit car production forecasts, according to the study from European campaign group Transport and Environment (T&E), Volkswagen and Volvo have "aggressive and credible strategies" to shift from fossil-fuel cars to electric vehicles. Others like Ford Motor Co have set ambitious targets, "but lack a robust plan to get there," T&E said. Ford plans an all-electric lineup in Europe by 2030. T&E said BMW, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Daimler AG and Toyota rank the worst as they have low BEV sales, have "no ambitious phase-out targets, no clear industrial strategy, and an over-reliance in the case of BMW, Daimler and Toyota on hybrids." JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors, says its luxury Jaguar brand will be all-electric by 2025, but has been less specific about electrification of its higher-volume Land Rover brand. BMW and Daimler have been reluctant to set hard deadlines for phasing out fossil-fuel cars. T&E said even if carmakers meet their targets, in 2030 BEV sales could be 10 percentage points below those needed to meet the EU's Green Deal — which targets net zero emissions by 2050. Rather than a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, based on carmakers' existing production plans, the EU could set more ambitious targets, T&E said - an up to 35% reduction in CO2 emissions from new cars by 2025, around 50% by 2027 and up to 70% in 2030. "Targets need to be gradually tightened so that carmakers not only commit to phasing out fossil fuels, but develop a strategy that gets them there on time," Julia Poliscanova, T&E senior director for vehicles and e-mobility, said in a statement.

Daily Driver: 2015 Volkswagen CC

Daily Driver videos are micro-reviews of vehicles in the Autoblog press fleet, reviewed by the staffers that drive them every day. Today's Daily Driver features the 2015 Volkswagen CC Executive, reviewed by Seyth Miersma. You can watch the video above or read a transcript below. And don't forget to watch more Autoblog videos at /videos. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Hi, guys. This is Seyth with Autoblog, and I'm driving the 2015 Volkswagen CC. The version of the car I'm in is the VR6 4motion car, so it's got a six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. This six-cylinder is actually a little bit of an odd duck at this point for the class. It's a 3.6 liter V6. It makes 280 horsepower, 265 pound-feet of torque. It's really living in a world that's been [00:00:30] overtaken by potent, two-liter turbos. I think something that's particularly difficult, especially in light of what I know about the Volkswagen family, the new engines getting great fuel economy. The 1.8T and obviously the TDI are real champs in that regard. Unfortunately, this VR6 is really sucking down the premium. These days, a 20 MPG combined rating is not particularly good. This definitely isn't a sports car. If you throw it hard into a corner, it leans a little bit, you can feel some roll [00:01:00] through the suspension. Handling is tidy, but it's not particularly precise. Of course, it's not really meant to be. This is a car that's meant to be great on the highway, great cruiser, look pretty stylish, and with a good powertrain, it can be exciting enough. Because you're not getting anything else that's very sports car-like about this car, other than the power delivery, and even there it's not quite on-pace with some of the sporty sedans that you can buy for right around the same money. It just makes for an interesting mix; something that's a little bit fast, [00:01:30] not very fuel-efficient, not a great handler, not a premium badge. Let's cut down right to it. This car is $44,400 and some change. Again, the VR6 4motion Executive Trim level, which means it pretty much gets everything you can get in a CC. We've got leather seats; they are heated. They have a massaging seat on the driver's side. I've got some 18-inch wheels that look pretty good. Big head unit with touch-screen and [00:02:00] navigation, satellite radio, better sound system. Just in general, the car feels very well-appointed. It feels like an entry-level luxury car.