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The
move would help the German automaker grow its market share in
North America, which it identified in March as the region with
the greatest growth potential but which was unprofitable for
several years before 2021.
Volkswagen said in March it was shifting production to China and
the United States as a result of the war in Ukraine.
The carmaker plans to invest at least $7.1 billion over the next
five years in North America and add 25 new electric vehicles
there by 2030, with the aim of 50% of sales to be electric by
then.
The Chattanooga plant, its only U.S. plant so far, which
produces models including the Passat and Atlas, begun pilot
production of the ID.4 electric crossover in March in
preparation for a fall launch.
A top executive said in March that the ID.Buzz would initially
be imported from Volkswagen's Hanover plant but that it could be
ultimately assembled in the United States or Mexico.
Earlier on Thursday, Manager Magazin reported that the German
carmaker was planning to build a second production plant in the
United States, increasing its production capacity there to up to
600,000 vehicles per year.
Citing stakeholders, the magazine said the new plant could be
built next to the current Chattanooga factory and that the
carmaker is also considering construction of a battery cell
plant.
Volkswagen declined to comment.
(Reporting by Jan Schwartz; Writing by Riham Alkousaa, Victoria
Waldersee; Editing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
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