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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.
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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.
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