Volkswagen has plans in motion to manufacture their electric vehicles in China starting in 2013. Because they are counting on China to pass GM and Toyota as the world’s biggest automaker by 2018, they are putting their chips into the nation that they believe will be able to meet the demand for cars that are less polluting.

VW may build two electric models with venture partners in China, said Karl-Thomas Neumann, chief executive officer and president of the Wolfsburg, Germany- based automaker’s China unit. The models may have a range of 100 kilometers to 200 kilometers, he said.

VW recently announced that they were going to launch electric cars in China under a new Kaili brand together with FAW Group. Spokesman Andreas Hoffbauer was saying that “The Chinese government has been encouraging joint ventures of foreign car manufacturers to develop indigenous brands”.

Volkswagen is committing enormous resources (read $1.4 billion USD) over the next two years to investing in renewable energy harvesting, particularly in off shore wind farms.

Volkswagen is reportedly still looking for a partner in the venture as they seek to invest in “ecological power generation.” They hope to find that partner by the end of the year and then reveal the details of their renewable energy plan soon after.

VW’s primary focus is expected to be in wind power off the shore in the North Sea with a lesser emphasis on hydro and solar power.

The timing of these investments coincides nicely with the upcoming release of VW’s first electric car, the Golf Blue-e-motion to be released in 2014. So here’s to hoping that we see an ever increasing approach to true zero emission vehicles in Europe thanks to a combination of electric vehicles and renewable energy tapping.

In a move that some consider to be surprisingly late in the game, Volkswagen has announced its intention to more aggressively enter the green vehicle market. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said that plans are in motion to release a hybrid version of its Touareg SUV in the U.S. market later this year, and will follow up with a hybrid version of its Jetta sedan in 2012. A fully electric vehicle powered by a battery pack is planned to arrive 2013.

“I’m deeply convinced that Volkswagen will play a key role” in the electrification of vehicles, he said.

Volkswagen wants to triple their annual U.S. sales by its Volkswagen and Audi brands over the next eight years to more than one million cars and trucks.