Detroit – Volkswagen unveiled on Sunday the Tiguan GTE Active Concept at the North American International Auto Show. The SUV that is expected to be over the American roads by 2017, is powered by a system composed by two electric motors and a gasoline engine. The redesigned vehicle offers five seats, pedestrian monitoring and an impressive a 9.2-inch touchscreen that capable of recognizing gestures.
The new vehicle that seeks to compete in the increased segment of SUVs in the United States, has a lot to offer when talking about people’s security. It has an autonomous emergency braking system that functions with pedestrian monitoring and activates a hood for pedestrian protection, VW declared in a press release on Sunday.
“The vehicle’s most striking innovation is its efficient plug-in hybrid system that uses two electric motors and a gasoline engine, which can supply all four wheels with power, either automatically or at the push of a button. This concept proves how much potential plug-in hybrid systems have. The all-wheel-drive system’s technology ensures that this SUV can offer supreme off-road performance,” wrote VW in a press release.
The Tiguan GTE Active Concept has a 6-speed dual-clutch and a 12.4 kWh lithium battery. The usage of its wheels can be determined by road condition and the driving mode, people will be allowed to use the front, rear or all four wheels. According to the company, the Tiguan is started in a mode that does not emit contaminating substances, however, the German company has not been very honest about contaminating emissions, since last year it was confirmed that the car manufacturer had hacked the software of its cars in order to reduce the number of reported emissions.
“For Volkswagen, the new Tiguan marks the kickoff of an SUV product offensive that will significantly expand the range of vehicles offered, especially in North America. The concept car starts every journey in all-electric E-mode as a zero emissions vehicle. Normally, the rear wheels are driven, but if there is loss of traction, the front wheels are engaged within fractions of a second,” said the company.
The SUV can reach speeds of up to 120 mph and it can go from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, a speed that is not very impressive when comparing it to the Model X SUV from Tesla that can go from zero to 60 mph in as little as 3.2 seconds without a drop of gasoline. However, the latter is very expensive in comparison with the VW’s model.
The interior design features materials such as brushed dark aluminum and a touchscreen that can be controlled by gestures, even to set temperatures. At the left of the driver, a panel of control buttons will be put. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can also be configured with the car.
Source: VW