2022 Volkswagen Amarok to miss out on electrification

The next-generation Volkswagen Amarok due in 2022 will not feature a pure-electric powertrain or even hybrid petrol or diesel engines, the German car-maker has revealed.

Speaking to Australian journalists at the launch of the Volkswagen ID.3 at the Frankfurt motor show overnight, VW's chief operating officer, Ralf Branstatter, said the new Amarok pick-up would miss out on electrification altogether -- despite plans to introduce 20 cars based on platforms like the pure-EV MEB architecture.

"At the moment this type of car [Amarok], there is no plan to electrify," he said.

This means the replacement for the Amarok, co-developed alongside the Ford Ranger, will not get a mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure-electric powertrain, instead favouring traditional internal combustion engines.

The decision seems at odds with not only Volkswagen's push for mass electrification but also the Amarok's rivals.

Mitsubishi is reportedly readying a plug-in hybrid version of the Triton within three years while Toyota plans to launch a hybrid Toyota HiLux by 2025.

It's not known if the Ranger will rely just on fossil fuels or if the global alliance formed between Ford and Volkswagen to create the next-generation pick-up will allow the use of individual powertrains.

The Blue Oval has already bought a reasonable chunk of pure-electric start-up Rivian and confirmed it is in the final stages of development of a battery-powered version of its full-size F-150 truck.

Without electrification, the 2022 Amarok success could be limited in some parts of Europe that are planning to levy high taxes on vehicles with high CO2 emissions. However, Australia's positioning on such legislation remains unclear.

The good news is the all-new 2021 Ford Ranger, a top-secret Australian-made prototype version of which has already broken cover, will reportedly be available with both 2.7-litre turbo-petrol and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engines -- although whether they're offered in Australia or the new Amarok remains to be seen.