The automaker has disclosed its near future benchmarks and investment plans
Volkswagen has lately announced its first production location in North America. Soon the Chattanooga plant in Tennessee would produce vehicles based on the modular electric toolkit MEB, a new generation of electric cars. In this move, the German automaker is investing about €700 million in the plant. Moreover, the expansion of the plant will create up to 1,000 new jobs plus additional jobs at suppliers.
Reportedly, the first electric car from Chattanooga is to roll off the production line in 2022. According to Volkswagen, in the coming few years, eight MEB plants would be developed in Europe, North America, and China. Additionally, the company is building up the production capacity needed to sell more than 1 million electric cars per year by 2025.
The investment intends to increase Volkswagen’s footprint in the US
Herbert Diess, CEO, Volkswagen AG, stated, “The US is one of the most important locations for us and producing electric cars in Chattanooga is a key part of our growth strategy in North America”. He added, “The management team lead by Scott Keogh is committed to continuing to increase our market share in the coming years. Together with our ongoing investments and this increase in local production, we are strengthening the foundation for sustainable growth of the Volkswagen brand in the US.”
Reportedly, the first electric car to roll off the production line in Chattanooga will be the ID. CROZZ SUV model. Moreover, Volkswagen said to offer the ID. BUZZ in North America, the reinterpretation of its VW bus. Both cars are part of Volkswagen’s new ID. family, which will make optimum use of the possibilities of e-mobility. Among additional features, the vehicles would come up with long ranges, a spacious interior, dynamic driving behavior, and a new level of digital connectivity.
Scott Keogh, CEO, and President, Volkswagen Group of America, said, “We could not be prouder to build the future of mobility here in the U.S.,” he added, “We’re known as ‘the people’s car’ for a reason, and our EVs will build on that tradition.”
Volkswagen is focusing more on electric cars
With all the recent moves by Volkswagen, it seems that it is focusing on electric cars more and more. According to reports, over the next few years, the brand will be launching more than 20 full electric models, while the first of these will be the compact ID., with production starting at the Zwickau plant in Germany from the end of 2019. Furthermore, by 2025, the Volkswagen brand intends to sell at least 1 million electric cars per year throughout the world. Further MEB plants are being developed in Emden, Hanover, Dresden and Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic. It said that the Chinese market will be served by the Anting and Foshan plants. All in all, the Volkswagen brand is investing a total of €11 billion in future-oriented technologies by 2023, including €9 billion in e-mobility.
In November 2018, Volkswagen and Tesco announced their plan to come up with the biggest free car-charging network in the UK. With this move, the automaker encourages customers to buy an electric vehicle while providing the free charging service.
