Volkswagen Group of America Stefan Jacoby’s comments
Posted By RichC on April 8, 2009
According to an “Wheels” article today in the New York Times, Stefan Jacoby, president and chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America talked and promoted clean diesel over electric and hybrid vehicles a the New York auto show. He was the keynote speaker at the annual breakfast for the press and took the opportunity to point to Volkswagen’s efforts in improving fuel efficiency and in competing to “find the fuel of the future.”
According to the article, ” Jacoby said that technological improvements in clean diesel “will improve miles per gallon” without incurring big expenses.” He commented that the VW Jetta TDI, which has achieved 58 miles a gallon in testing and believes we can expect to see “50 to 70 miles a gallon would be possible in the next 10 years.” The VW executive also said that “Some of the new technology is 20 years off,” he said, clearly meaning electric-battery power and fuel-cell technology. “And we may find better options.”
His real push is for tax incentives in order to encourage Americans to buy new cars, as well as additional incentives that will target the more fuel efficient clean diesel cars. “A cash for clunkers program, or “fleet modernization,” as Mr. Jacoby called it, similar to what Germany has in place, would go a long way to help consumers, dealers, suppliers and the environment.”
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