Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active Concept Makes World Debut At NAIAS 2016
The Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active Concept finally made its first international debut at the 2016 North American International Auto Show, also known as the Detroit Auto Show. On Sunday, the wraps were taken off the highly anticipated hybrid SUV from the German automaker.
The new Tiguan GTE Active Concept has a newly designed and highly innovative drivetrain that combines electric and gas power. Due to the car's top-tiered embedded technologies, motoring analysts and experts believe that it will replace the current Volkswagen Tiguan model.
The new Volkswagen Tiguan GTE has two electric motors instead of just one which is a common design in most hybrid car models. The two electric motors power each axle which makes the car more powerful.
The hybrid Tiguan SUV is primarily designed to run on all-electric mode. On this mode, the car is estimated to cover 20 miles. Additionally, while in the all-electric mode, the car only uses its two rear wheels despite it has four-wheel drive capabilities.
Volkswagen claims that the new Tiguan GTE is equipped with high-tech sensors that can detect the type of terrain the car in currently on. Once the car detects a rough terrain that demands more power, it will automatically switch to 4Motion Action Control which will turn on the two secondary motors installed on the car's two front wheels. This gives the car more power in order to navigate in harsh and difficult terrains.
According to Auto Week, the Tiguan's electric motors are powered by a 12.4 kWh battery pack. The rear electric motor is capable of power output of up to 114 horsepower, while the rear one can produce up to 54 horsepower.
When the electric motors function along with the gas engine, the Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active Concept is capable of delivering up to 221 horsepower.
According to CNet, the interior of the new Tiguan is adorned by the 9.2-inch central control with touch screen capabilities.
The Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active Concept is expected to hit the market by 2017.