Volkswagen announced in January 2019 that it planned to invest $800 million in its Chattanooga plant and bring 1,000 jobs with the expansion.
But:
Chattanooga will be the first manufacturing facility in North America that will produce vehicles using VW’s modular electric toolkit chassis, or MEB. The first Volkswagen electric vehicle will roll out in 2022.
Oh, that’s just great.
That’s all we need…
Next thing, VW will announce that they’re replacing the Tiguan with Electro-Bugs, whereupon:
Just sayin’…
Niche vehicle in Texas = EV
Niche vehicle in cities = superduty pickup
Different strokes for different folks
An electromobile is feasible for most of my local trips. (5-10 miles @ 30-40mph)
For most of my mileage, I need an ICE or hybrid. (200 mile round trip to airport @75-80mph – with AC on almost year around)
260 miles from here to a capital city – (either Melbourne or Adelaide).
60 or 65 miles per hour.
Allow 4.5 hours travel time.
Use less than one tank of fuel.
Refuel in 5 minutes
Those battery things have a to do better, at same price, before I can see a good reason to change
But if we made a thing like a Haflinger, with versatile electrics, it might be just dandy on the farm. Lower speeds; short distance; recharge overnight; 5 miles to town; quiet; and powers the electric tools.
Their electric lineup consists of 3 or 4 vehicles.
1) a hatchback slightly larger than the Golf
2) a sedan roughly the size of a Passat
3) a van
4) a crossover
All are very practical cars, not the tiny virtue signalling idiocies of the past.
I was seriously considering their iD3 myself, until I saw the delivery dates which would mean I’d lose out on the tax credits on them here which are set to expire at the end of next year…
To make you feel better about this, Kim, just remember that these are non-union jobs. The workers at VW’s USA factories have rejected union, UAW, representation at least twice in my recollection.