The ID.4 is the most loved all-electric and popular Volkswagen Group model. It has 190,000 units delivered worldwide since its launch in 2021. Volkswagen aims to increase ID.4 production in Chattanooga by 7,000 vehicles per month in 2019, with the goal of increasing output through 2023. Vehicles will be available for purchase as soon as October 2022. The American-assembled ID.4 will initially be available in either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive 82kWh battery forms. A rear-wheel-drive version of the ID.4 with a 62kWh lithium battery will be available in 2022 with a lower MSRP.
Thomas Schafer, chairman of the global Volkswagen brand, stated that “We’re just beginning to write a new Chapter for Volkswagen in America and it is very much an American story. When we said that Volkswagen EVs would be available to millions of people, it was always true. We had American workers build those EVs in Chattanooga. With the ID.4 electric flagship, we couldn’t be more proud to see this vision come to fruition. This is yet another milestone in Volkswagen’s ambitious electrification strategy, both for the U.S. and worldwide.”
Volkswagen’s $800million investment in electrification at its Chattanooga plant, which includes dedicated facilities for vehicle assembly and battery pack manufacturing, resulted in the production line being launched. Tennessee’s factory is the sixth worldwide location to produce electric vehicles for Volkswagen.
American-assembled ID.4, Volkswagen’s flagship electric SUV, will be mainly sourced from the North American region, especially the United States. Materials and components of the vehicle were assembled in 11 U.S. States, including steel in Alabama, Ohio, interior parts in Indiana, South Carolina, and electronics in North Carolina and Kentucky. SK Innovation, Georgia will supply the EV battery.
In preparation for the launch of ID.4, suppliers invested $2.7 billion across the North American continent. This includes the partnership with SK Innovation to purchase a battery. Over 3,000 jobs have been created on the supplier side in the United States.
“This vision was brought to life by thousands of VW Chattanooga workers,” stated Chris Glover, President & CEO, Volkswagen Chattanooga Operations, LLC. “I would like to thank our highly motivated team and the extended Chattanooga community for their support as we begin assembly for the ID.4 for North American markets.”
Volkswagen Chattanooga has more than 4,000 employees and will be actively recruiting more than 1,000 production team members for 2022 to meet the high demand for its ID.4 SUV and Atlas SUV families. The factory has provided 75,000 hours of training to its workforce on high-voltage and battery-powered vehicles in preparation for the EV transition.
Volkswagen has committed $7.1Billion over five years to North America in order to expand its product range, R&D capabilities, and manufacturing capabilities. Through 2030, the brand will expand its electric range, including the American-assembled ID.4 sedan in 2022 and the ID. Buzz electric microbus in 2024 and new electric SUVs from 2026. Volkswagen plans to make electric vehicles fully electric by 2030, which will account for 55% of U.S. sales.