Volkswagen Passat Death Watch Has Begun, Replacement May Be Electric

After multiple generations in the United States, the Volkswagen Passat nameplate might not have a long future ahead of it in America. An EV could replace it.

"[The] Passat is a car that has a finite lifespan in terms of our planning," Volkswagen of America Chief Operating Officer Johan de Nysschen said to Roadshow. "It's probably a reasonable assumption that when this Passat reaches the end of its lifecycle, its successor will probably not feature an internal combustion engine," the boss added.

Volkswagen has lots of electric vehicles on the way, and the de Nysschen's statement makes us wonder if the Passat successor could take cues from the ID. Vizzion concept (gallery below). The company positioned the vehicle as what an EV sedan could look like it 2030.

For its first two generations, Volkswagen named the Passat the Dasher and Quantum, respectively, in the United States. The name didn't arrive in the country until the third generation in the 1990 model year. Starting with the 2012 model year, the company differentiated the version of the sedan for the North American and European markets.

VW introduced a refreshed American Passat for the 2020 model year. The company gave it a revised look on the outside and updated dashboard design inside. At the same time, the automaker reduced the price by $2,300. With the refresh of the Passat being so recent, we wouldn't expect the model to go away for a few years.