The new VW Passat: much Golfier to look at, with flowing, more organic shapes and fewer taut, Teutonic creases. But the real game-changer is the whopping 19.7kWh battery – it’s more of an EV than a PHEV, with a claimed electric range of 62 miles. Seriously, I drove it five times this weekend without charging and crept around silently like an electric car most of the time. Don’t write-off plug-ins. I think they’re a handy stepping stone in this electric transformation.