Volkswagen, NEVS, Audi, JAC.

Electric Bulli with 70 kWh battery? In today’s print edition, German Auto Bild writes that the electric VW Bulli is said to make long-range electric mobility “affordable.” The magazine speculates that it will feature a 70 kWh battery pack and will become available by 2018. Hopefully there will be more (concrete) information following the CES in January.
autobild.de (cover in German, pdf)

12bn dollar EV deal: Swedish NEVS received an order for 150,000 Saab 9-3 sedan electric vehicles from Chinese Panda New Energy. The purchase is worth 78bn yuan and will create “hundreds of jobs” at former Saab, says NEVS. The deal includes another 100,000 EV products and services; delivery is scheduled for the end of 2020.
industryweek.com, saabcars.com

Audi FCV: The Detroit Auto Show is likely to see the premier of the Audi Q6 h-tron quattro concept, Auto Bild reports. The h-tron is basically the hydrogen version of the e-tron quattro concept first shown at the IAA in Spetember. The EV already has a said range of 500 km, so it remains to be seen how much the h-tron will actually differ.
worldcarfans.com, autobild.de (original source in German)

Chinese support for VW? The Chinese government seems interested in bringing Volkswagen and Jianghuai Auto Corporation (JAC) together, Gasgoo reports. An agreement hinges on the willingness to jointly develop new energy vehicles. JAC set course to electrify 30 percent of its portfolio by 2025.
gasgoo.com

VW has confirmed the E-Phaeton, which will succeed its combustion engine counterpart. Production of the regular Phaeton will be suspended by late March 2016 at the Transparent Factory in Dresden. After restructuring, the electric Phaeton will take its place and is expected to hit the market by 2019.
reuters.com, worldcarfans.com

New R&D at VW: Volkswagen has named Ulrich Eichhorn as its new research and development chief, a position he held from 2000 – 2003 before going to Bentley. Michael Mauer will become head of VW Group design in addition to his current position as lead designer at Porsche.
autocar.co.uk, greencarcongress.com