Volkswagen wants to electrify the United States.
The The Relic Of My Sister Next DoorGerman automaker confirmed to European car website Autocar that it will make American versions of the ID Buzz (the machine is an electric version of its iconic camper, which looks akin to the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine) and Crozz EV (which is just another crossover) in the U.S.
SEE ALSO: Volkswagen's all-electric race car shatters records on the uphill Pikes PeakVolkswagen is one of just a number of multinational car companies that are pushing into electric fleets, likely triggered by the overwhelmingly positive response of Tesla's all-electric vehicles. And Volkswagen in particular has increased its electric vehicle strategy in Europe and China by large publicity stunts like racing its purely electric vehicles in headline competitions.
“For strong product momentum, they need to be produced in the USA,” Volkswagen North American region chief executive Hinrich Woebcken told Autocar. “It’s not possible to come into a high-volume scenario with imported cars. We want to localize electric mobility in the US.”
This strategy is on-brand with the car manufacturer's normal marketing strategy to tailor its products to different audiences. It does not follow a one-car-fits all countries model, and these two models (slated to launch in 2022) are designed to appeal to the United States utility vehicle obsession.
The ID Buzz electric minibus will come with two options: a higher-end, all-wheel drive that can drive 270 miles before charging and a less expensive model that can go 200 miles before recharging. And the ID Crozz only comes in one model, which will likely average 275 miles per charge.
While these are all fine and dandy, let's see how it actually does after it launches. The United States accounted for more than 20 percent of all electric vehicle sales nationwide this year, so Volkswagen has a tough entrance ahead with nearly 50 popular models in the U.S. market already.
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Topics Electric Vehicles
