Volkswagen plotting 500kW-plus EV sports car

Volkswagen has revealed it is developing a wild new modular all-electric powertrain that will produce “over 500kW” – and has confirmed it could be used to power an all-new sports car.

The news the German car-making giant is plotting a supercar-quick sports car comes off the back of a separate announcement by Volkswagen Group Technologies that in future it will develop all components needed for an EV’s powertrain in-house.

VW did not confirm if the sports car cited would be branded a Volkswagen, or if the 500kW-plus powertrain in question would be used elsewhere in the group for brands like Audi or Porsche.

According to VW, the decision to develop inverters and cooling systems needed for EVs would boost efficiency of its all-electric models by up to 20 per cent while slashing costs by a further 20 per cent.

As part of its plan, the new in-house components will be rolled out on models underpinned by the next-generation MEB platform known as ‘MEB Evo’.

New innovations that have already been developed by engineers include a more compact cooling module that cuts down on VW’s current hose connections and individual modules for an all-encompassing system that includes the entire air-conditioning unit.

The result is a lighter, more robust and efficient arrangement that’s thought to also include an energy-saving heat pump.

There’s no word on which models could be the first beneficiaries of the advanced new in-house powertrain, but in pole position is the Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman replacements that have already been confirmed for all-electric power when they debut in 2025.

For everything you auto know about EVs, listen to carsales' Watts Under the Bonnet: the electric car podcast

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au