Scott Keogh, VW, in San Francisco, California, Sept. 18, 2018.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Volkswagen is “actively” trying to set up new meeting and battery services within the U.S., Volkswagen of America CEO Scott Keogh informed CNBC on Wednesday.
Keogh declined to debate potential areas for such operations. The German automaker’s electrification efforts are presently primarily based in Tennessee, together with localized manufacturing of the VW ID.4 crossover EV — set to start later this yr.
“We’re actively within the means of taking a look at one other manufacturing facility and likewise taking a look at a battery facility,” Keogh stated in an interview.
Volkswagen remains to be discussing and evaluating its choices, and no choices have been made, an organization spokesman stated.
Such services, whether or not new or expansions, would imply a big resolution and certain billions of {dollars} in new U.S. funding for VW, which presently has North American meeting vegetation in Tennessee and Mexico.
Any funding would observe comparable strikes by different firms to extend EV manufacturing within the U.S. – a significant aim of the Biden administration.
The potential for brand new VW electrical car services within the U.S. was beforehand reported by European media.
Keogh’s feedback adopted the grand opening of the German automaker’s new $22 million electrical car battery lab, situated close to its sole American meeting plant in Chattanooga. It is a part of a $7.1 billion dedication to spice up its EV efforts in North America.
The brand new 32,000-square-foot battery lab will check and optimize batteries for electrical autos for the U.S. market. It is one among 4 such services that VW has introduced globally.
