Published

VW Choses Slovakia to Make New Low-Cost EV

Volkswagen AG plans to use its small-car factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, to build a family of small electric cars for the European market, according to Handelsblatt.
#hybrid

Share

Volkswagen AG plans to use its small-car factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, to build a family of small electric cars for the European market, according to Handelsblatt.

The plant current makes piston-powered VW Up, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii city cars. The new group of EVs, which is being developed by SEAT, will ride on a shortened version of VW’s modular electric drive (MEB) platform.

The cars are expected to retail for less than €20,000 ($22,300) and will be offered under the SEAT, Skoda and VW brands. The models are expected to debut in 2023.

VW originally planned to make the little electric cars at its plant in Emden, Germany. Handelsblatt says the company opted to set up production in Slovakia instead because of its lower labor costs. The facility will have capacity to make a combined 200,000 EVs annually.

Emden is now slated to build larger and more expensive EVs, beginning with a compact SUV previously planned for VW’s all-EV factory in Zwickau, Germany, according to the report.

RELATED CONTENT

  • The Genovation GXE: >220 mph and Street Legal

    A 2019 Corvette Grand Sport has a starting price on the order of $66,950. The Genovation GXE, which is predicated on the Corvette Grand Sport, will set you back some $750,000.

  • The U.S. Military Finds New Roads: Fuel Cell Powered Pickups

    While it seems that fuel efficiency as related to the U.S. federal government is all about light duty vehicles, that’s far from being the case.

  • Can You Drive an EV in the Rain?

    Although there is a veritable fleet of electric vehicles coming on the global market within the next few years, it seems that if the results of research in the United Kingdom track in any way with the rest of the world then the OEMs are in for a whole lot of electric vehicles sitting unsold in dealer lots.

Gardner Business Media - Strategic Business Solutions