Future Volkswagen SUVs and electrical cars and trucks
VW plans SUV and electric-vehicle offensive in North America
November 22, 2016
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Antsy to put its diesel woes behind it, Volkswagen has hatched a fresh vision for the brand and for North America, one that will take major American automakers head on. VW will build electrified cars for the U.S., planning to roll out the very first ones in two thousand twenty one while also focusing on SUVs and crossovers.
What does this mean for consumers familiar with VW vehicles and those fresh to the brand?
Expect to see a much larger range of SUVs from VW, a make that until now has been stuck at a grand total of two vehicles — the Touareg and the Tiguan — which were both left on the shelf without updates for too long. By 2020, VW plans to have nineteen SUVs and crossovers on sale globally, with many available in the U.S. The Atlas, which debuted in the metal last month, will lead the charge, having been designed for the U.S. from the very commence.
Car News
Meet the two thousand eighteen Volkswagen Atlas SUV
Volkswagen pulled the wraps off its fresh Atlas mid-sized American-built SUV – due next spring – and it`s designed just for us.«This car was done for the American market,» said .
“We will be significantly stepping up our activities in the USA,” said VW brand chief Herbert Diess. “The main concentrate will be on the key segments in the country, large SUVs and limousines. In those segments, we will be strongly expanding our range. In a 2nd stage, we will then take our fresh electrified cars to North America. Over the next few years, we will be making considerable investments in electrical infrastructure.”
VW hopes electrical cars will distance it from the diesel crisis as well, with the automaker having executed a acute turn toward EVs in the wake of “dieselgate.” VW now plans to have its own battery plant to avoid having to rely on suppliers.
In terms of models, the e-Golf will soldier on with an upgraded range for now, but by two thousand twenty five it will be overshadowed by thirty other electrified models in the lineup. VW showcased off the I.D. concept car at the Paris auto showcase in September, previewing a hatch that will be priced like a diesel Golf but that offers over two hundred fifty miles of range on a total charge.
Paris Motor Demonstrate
The VW I.D. concept previews an all-electric autonomous future . coming in 2025
According to Volkswagen, the all-electric I.D. concept rolling out at the two thousand sixteen Paris motor showcase portends many Big Things. Attempt on for size two hundred fifty to harshly three hundred seventy five miles of range, to begin with, when the car .
“From 2020, we will be launching our major e-mobility offensive,” Diess added. “As a volume manufacturer, we intend to play a key role in the breakthrough of the electrified car. We are not aiming for niche products but for the heart of the automobile market. By 2025, we want to sell a million electrical cars per year and to be the world market leader in e-mobility. Our future electrical cars will be the fresh trademark of Volkswagen.”
It remains to be seen whether VW will go after U.S. automakers into the pickup truck market; for now, VW is keeping the Amarok from our shores as it lacks the large-displacement engines crucial for market success in the U.S. But with a fresh plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, VW promises more models tailored to American tastes.
Jay Ramey – Jay Ramey is an Associate Editor with Autoweek, and has been with the magazine since 2013. Jay also likes to kayak and bike.