VW Golf’s ever-expanding family will soon welcome a new member, and it’s a plug-in hybrid. Allegedly called the Golf GTE (GT Electric), the new model will be part of the Golf’s hot hatch crack team, including the GTI and GTD, hence the GTE badge.

Think of the Golf GTE as an electric version of the Golf GTI. The GTE moniker is much cooler than Golf Plug-in Hybrid, which was VW’s first choice. Technically, the GTE will be similar to the Audi A3 e-tron.

That is to say the VW Golf GTE will be powered by a hybrid system consisting of a 1.4 liter petrol engine with around 150bhp, and an electric motor in the transmission contributing another 107bhp. The electric motor will be fed by an 8.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack squeezed under the rear seats, so the interior space is not compromised.

Equipped with a six-speed dual clutch transmission, the Golf GTE is said to be able to go from 0 to 62 mph in 7.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 135 mph. Fuel economy is rated at 188.3mpg with CO2 emissions at 35g/km ,while the system also allows 31 miles of pure electric driving with zero emission.

Via Autocar