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Volkswagen to Make Electric Vehicles in America

If there was any doubt that Volkswagen means business when it talks about an electric car revolution, then this year's developments have surely eliminated them all. In 2019, the Germans unveiled the ID.3, the first global EV for the masses, and now have announced the first major expansion of production capabilities for electric cars.
Volkswagen ID.3 52 photos
Photo: Volkswagen
Confirming rumors that have been around for some time, Volkswagen officially said on Wednesday (November 13) that an overhaul of its American facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee began with exactly this goal in mind: assembling EVs in the U.S.

The site is the place where the carmaker currently puts together the midsize Atlas SUV and the Passat sedan. In the coming years, VW plans to dramatically expand the plant's capabilities by investing $800 million and adding 1,000 new jobs, all with the purpose of making Chattanooga its “assembly base for electric vehicles” in North America.

“This is a big, big moment for this company,” said in a statement Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America.

“Expanding local production sets the foundation for our sustainable growth in the U.S. Electric vehicles are the future of mobility and Volkswagen will build them for millions, not just millionaires."

Production of electric vehicles there is scheduled to begin in 2022, together with assembly of battery packs. The U.S.-based facility will thus be joining EV production hubs already in operation across the world, like the ones in Zwickau, Germany, and Anting and Foshan, in China. Also in 2022 EVs will start rolling out from Emden and Hanover in Germany.

If until now electric vahices were seen as cars cool to have, Volkswagen’s ID.3 - and the other models of the family - will likely shift the public perception to cars that must be had. The market, already softened by the assault of Teslas, Leafs and Zoes, will probably absorb German-made electric cars like a sponge starting next year.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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