VW a few others are pitching the mild hybrid concept and certainly the Mk8 will be that. They have created the 48V electrical systems for it already. Whether there is a "sporty" mild hybrid remains to be seen though.
However, I think that they might have missed the boat on that one and that hybrids will not last long due to pressure from governments to jump to ZEV's.
ZEV is fine for those city dwellers, less useful for anyone rural or people like myself who do regular long journeys. Sure, the new generation of dedicated fast chargers are much quicker - maybe 20 minutes for a charge, but a 20 minute refuel after 50 miles is going to make those 200 mile journeys rather longer...
Battery technology in weight/size, capacity and charging need to take a huge leap still and there will need to be a trick to make the motor whir exciting as think petrol engine fakery on a strictly electric will sound ridiculous. - Have heard some good aggressive 'whir' on some sport concepts, its the battery tech that's holding it back.
But recently bought some Beats X and given the truly rubbish and baulky headphones had in past, these are a revelation, true 8 hours playing time and more importantly a 5 minute quick 2 hr capacity charge .. so rarely caught out and when am, its a quick cuppa and up to 30%
Basically battery tech needs to get to point, you pull in a garage, plug in and in 5 mins you have a 'tank' of capacity and given you just need a parking bay with plug unit at end, most garages could have 30 + bays in same footprint as the 12 or so they have now - I personally could not charge at home, and neither could any in my street and many streets in this country, not everyone has a drive up to their house, many park on road or in bays, .
The next leap from that, is batteries are so efficient, that your roof is super efficient solar panel that is constantly charging the batteries - Will put Man City out of business of course
Its the future, its coming, and personally ok with the hybrids as can see the performance not just retained but lifted as the i8 proves, and be ok with all electric when battery tech catches up, though that's at least a decade out for any comparison to current cars.
Till then enjoy your current cars, as becoming last of the breed, going to keep my R, a classic head turner among all those whirring electrics 15 years from now
