Volkswagen has started the production of all its all-electric ID.4 crossover SUV in the United States. The company made the announcement on Tuesday. Volkswagen has plans to scale production of the ID.4 at its Chattanooga, Tennessee factory to 7,000 vehicles per month by the end of 2022 before further increasing output throughout 2023.
About the Vehicle
According to Engadget, “Dieselgate has shaken Volkswagen to its foundation, prompting the automaker to embrace a radical new direction and invest nearly $40 billion into EV R&D as well as the factory tech needed to make it. The initial result of that massive investment has now hit the streets in the form of a compact crossover SUV. Say hello to the 2021 ID.4, VW’s first EV for the people.
The ID.4’s on-paper stats aren’t particularly striking, especially when compared to some of its higher-priced, luxury alternatives. With a 77.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack putting out 201 HP and 229 pound-feet of torque, the ID.4’s specs are very much in line with its gas model equivalents like the Honda CRV or similarly specced EVs like the Hyundai Kona or Kia Niro EV (though each of those only have 64 kwH batteries).”
Volkswagen’s Announcement
The company on their website talked about their plans to write a new chapter in their history. Thomas Schäfer, Chairman of the global Volkswagen brand said “We’re just starting to write a new chapter for Volkswagen in America, and it is very much an American story,”. He added “When we promised to bring Volkswagen EVs to the millions, it always included American workers building those EVs right there in Chattanooga. We couldn’t be prouder to see that vision realized today with our ID.4 electric flagship rolling off the lines. This is another milestone in Volkswagen’s ambitious electrification strategy for the U.S. market and globally.”
