Volkswagen continues the rapid expansion of its electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid line-up with the Passat GTE.

Slow to jump on the hybrid bandwagon, Volkswagen lately has plugged in with a procession of more advanced battery-based vehicles, such as the fully electrified version of its Up! Microcar and the Golf GTE plug-in hybrid.

Now, it’s bringing out another plug-based model, the Passat GTE, which will make its formal debut at the Paris Motor Show later this week.

The bigger model gets a bigger battery and more electric-only range, the VW Passat GTE delivering about 50 kilometers, or 31 miles, using just its lithium-ion pack. It will be able to reach 80 mph in battery-only mode, as well.

Using the European test procedure, VW expects the new Passat GTE to deliver an equivalent to 141 miles per gallon. What’s likely to be equally appealing to potential buyers is that gap between fill-ups. Using both the electric motor and gas engine, the plug-in is expected to deliver about 1,000 kilometers, or roughly 620 miles, between fill-ups. That would allow a round-trip from the Paris show to London without a stop.

Meanwhile, declares the maker in a news release describing the Passat GTE, “The pioneering low power/fuel consumption and emission values contrast with a powerful driving performance.”

The new Passat GTE has a top speed of 136 mph and can launch from 0 to 60 in about 8 seconds. That’s several seconds faster than most competing plug-in models, such as the Chevrolet Volt.

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The drivetrain consists of a 114-horsepower electric motor – drawing power from a 9.9 kilowatt-Hour lithium-ion battery – and a 154-horsepower 1.4-liter turbo four. Due to the vagaries of electric propulsion, that adds up to a combined output of 215 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. The drivetrain puts that power to the pavement through a six-speed DSG double-clutch gearbox linked to the front wheels.

Charging times can be trimmed to as little as four hours using a normal 220-volt charger, and two-and-a-half hours with a special garage charging system.

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VW claims the new Passat GTE will be an “integral part” of its battery-electric program, along with the Golf GTE, the e-Up! and the XL1 hyper-miler, a quirky diesel-electric hybrid yielding about 238 mpg.

To enhance the appeal of the Passat GTE, Volkswagen is loading up the standard feature list. That includes such niceties as a “Composition Media” infotainment system, which includes additional displays to keep a driver up-to-date on how the battery drive system is functioning. There’s also the new Car-Net “e-remote” to control charging remotely by smartphone.

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Unfortunately, you’ll have a hard time convincing U.S. motorists, since the plug-in version of the sedan currently isn’t scheduled to make the leap across the Atlantic (nor are the e-Up! or XL1 models).

European buyers will still have to wait until next October to take delivery.