Thanks to the Chevy Volt and the plug-in Prius, every other major automaker seems to be preparing to subdue the probably monopoly of GM and Toyota in this particular market. Volkswagen is currently testing 20 plug-in hybrid Golf TwinDrives in Berlin. The plug-in Golf is slated to be a 2011 model to be sold late 2010 just in time to compete with the Chevy Volt.

The 20 cars in the test fleet are powered by a 2.0L turbodiesel and an electric motor that dishes out 122 hp. 82 horses is generated by the electric motor. Eventually, the 2.0L diesels will be swapped with smaller 1.4L gasoline engines dropping the powertrain output to 100 hp.

Power for the electric motor is stored in a 350-lb. lithium-ion battery pack made by Sanyo. On a full charge, the battery pack allows the car to run for 30 miles as an EV. Aside from the plug-in option, the battery can be charged through some of the power coming from the gas engine.

Source: Motor Trend