Volkswagen has recently announced an investment of $20 million across 600 dealerships in the US. Volkswagen of America has offered fresh news of its Network Readiness Co-Op program that will help develop more than 600 of its dealerships across 50 states into “regional hubs of EV experience”. The program entails upgraded service centers and high-capacity chargers. This is also due to the increasing demand for the new all-electric ID.4 SUV.
According to the Volkswagen press release, the Network Readiness Co-Op program has already added 23,490 kW of charging capacity and trained more than 1260 EV service technicians across the country. The company has also introduced EV specialists to its dealerships, which will help develop a more e-mobility centric user experience.
What Is Volkswagen Planning For The EV Market?
Volkswagen of America President Scott Keogh had stated earlier this year that nine out of ten of all ID.4 buyers are first-time EV buyers and the company plans on increasing consumer support through better training for technicians and giving support to its dealerships throughout the process.
Volkswagen has also launched a dedicated EV Technician Retention Program which will help dealerships in training technicians, giving them regular incentives to increase efficiency and recruit new talent to address the recent EV change. Volkswagen has also allowed its dealerships across the country to reward technicians with a retention bonus of $2000 per year which will allow them to gain new certifications to enhance skillsets and offer extensive service for the ID.4 and other EVs from Volkswagen.
A Look At The Volkswagen ID.4
The Volkswagen ID.4 is the most impressive EV in the Volkswagen lineup, and the company looks to build its EV future on the success of this car. The ID.4 was fully launched in 2020 and came with the Volkswagen group’s own MEB platform. Volkswagen ID.4 was first showcased in the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show and later in the Frankfurt Auto Show, under the alias of ID Crozz and ID Crozz II concept cars.
Unlike its predecessor the ID.3, Volkswagen ID.4 targeted the North American region, and the group’s new $20 million investment makes the idea obvious. The ID.4 was launched in the USA with Volkswagen of America CEO and President Scott Keogh saying that the ID.4 “drives like a GTI, it has the packaging of a Tiguan and the purpose of the Beetle.”
The Volkswagen ID.4 is among the most selling cars in the current Volkswagen of America portfolio and has already reached more than 15000 cars sold and 40000 gross reservations since its official launch in March 2021. Also, more than 85% of the Volkswagen ID.4 buyers have also enrolled for the 3 years of unlimited charging at any Electrify America DC fast chargers across the country and according to Volkswagen data, drivers have already charged more than 22 million miles for their ID.4 at Electrify America chargers. These stats show the growing consumer interest in this crossover SUV and Volkswagen is preparing its Chattanooga plant to begin domestic production from 2022.
Future Of Volkswagen EVs
Volkswagen is optimistic for the future of its EV division and is planning to build upon its ID naming. The ID division was first announced in 2016 with the ID.3 launching in markets 3 years later and the ID.4 launching next year. Volkswagen has also launched the performance version of its electric cars, with the ID.4 GTX and the ID.4 GTX coming in 2022. Volkswagen is also planning to launch a model electric car named the Volkswagen Project Trinity by 2026 after the ID range is fully padded out. The Volkswagen Project Trinity is a concept project of VW that will include greater autonomy, longer range, and will be produced with more sustainable means of production.
Volkswagen has also seen impressive success with its EV segment, even during the pandemic. In 2020, Volkswagen was able to deliver 134,000 electric vehicles and a total of 212,000 electrified vehicles(EVs and Hybrids). The ID segment is as important to Volkswagen as the Beetle in 1945 or the Golf in 1974, but can it reach the same heights of success? The ID brand will produce cars ranging from A-segment to a sedan, a saloon car, a crossover SUV, and a 7-seater. The branding will be in ascending order, with the ID.3 being the earliest model from the electric division.
There are reports coming of several VW cars in the making which will launch in 2022 and subsequent years. Volkswagen is planning to launch a small electric car which will be named ID.1 and the car will go into production by 2025. The ID.5 is a sleeker coupe-SUV version of the ID.4 and will take inspiration from the ID Crozz concept. The ID.6 has already been launched and is available only in China. The ID.6 will be a seven-seater EV and will up the crossover SUV ID.4 and will come in two battery options. The Volkswagen ID Vizzion is a concept car from VW which was last showcased in the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and the concept car will have heavy use of artificial intelligence. The ID brand also includes the ID Buzz which brings back the Microbus minivan and poses as a stylish all-electric fashion wagon. There are also some exciting but concept cars in the ID brand with the ID Space Vizzion, the ID.Buggy, and the ID Ruggedzz.
Volkswagen is optimistic for its EV future, and this $20 million investment across its more than 600 dealerships in the USA is proof of the company's ambition of dominating the EV sector.