- VW shelves plans for electric Amarok
- Pick-up shares same platform as Ford Ranger
- Ranger is now available as PHEV and EV is on the way
- Amarok will remain diesel only for rest of its lifecycle
Volkswagen has confirmed that the Amarok won’t be going hybrid or electric any time soon, shelving plans for both PHEV and BEV versions of its global pick-up.
Despite using the same platform as the Ford Ranger, which does get a plug-in hybrid, Volkswagen says the Amarok will stick with diesel for the rest of its lifecycle.
The decision was revealed to CarExpert by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ Australian boss Nathan Johnson, who said global CEO Stefan Mecha had “made it clear” that electrified Amaroks are “no longer being discussed at this point in time.”
Until recently, Volkswagen insiders were openly talking about a plug-in hybrid Amarok, especially as Ford’s PHEV system was already available. But priorities have changed. Officially, Volkswagen says it wants to stay “self-sustainable without an impact to the customer,” focusing on cost stability rather than chasing regulatory incentives.
The simpler explanation is that the Amarok is a niche model in most markets, and introducing Ford’s hybrid tech could be expensive for limited returns. Diesel Amaroks continue to sell strongly in places like Australia, and for core customers who tow, haul and travel long distances, diesel power still dominates.
For now, the familiar 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre TDI engines will continue to power the Amarok globally.
Split strategy
Volkswagen hasn’t abandoned pickup electrification entirely, it’s just happening elsewhere. In South America, Volkswagen still builds the original Amarok on its own platform, and a hybrid-powered successor is already in development for 2027.
That model will use a ladder-frame chassis co-developed with Chinese partner SAIC and share much with the Maxus Terron 9. It will be a very different truck from the Ford-based Amarok sold in Europe, Africa and Australasia.
In effect, two distinct Amaroks will exist, and they’re unlikely to converge any time soon.
For the UK, not much changes in the short term. The Amarok remains one of the most capable diesel pick-ups on the market, with strong towing ability and a refined driving experience. But it does mean that customers wanting a plug-in pick-up will have just one option: the Ford Ranger PHEV.
Volkswagen’s wording — that electrification is “not being discussed in this generation” — leaves the door open for the long term. The next Amarok, expected in the early 2030s, will almost certainly need some form of hybrid or electric power to meet tightening regulations.
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