Volkswagen to open its North American EV manufacturing plant In Chattanooga

Volkswagen has announced that it is set to open its first electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chattanooga in an $800mn investment. The new facility form part of the company’s growth strategy across North America.

“The shift toward electric vehicles is a trend that can be seen worldwide, and Volkswagen’s decision to locate its first North American EV manufacturing facility in Chattanooga underscores Tennessee’s manufacturing strength and highly-skilled workforce,” Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam has stated. “As one of Hamilton County’s top employers, these additional 1,000 jobs will have a lasting impact on the region. I thank Volkswagen for its partnership and also applaud the company for its ongoing commitment to education and workforce alignment, which helps Tennessee build a pipeline of talent for years to come.”

Volkswagen is also set to build a second EV production facility in Zwickau, Germany, starting MEB production by the end of 2019, as well as, Emden, Hanover, and Anting and Foshan in China, in 2020 News Channel9 has reported.

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The new production facility at Chattanooga is situated across 1,400 acres and span more than three million square foot. It is also set to be the first automotive manufacturing facility globally to be certified LEED Platinum. It will look to provide more than 150,000 electric vehicles by 2020, with the aim to have sold over one million by 2025.

“The shift toward electric vehicles is a trend that can be seen worldwide, and Volkswagen’s decision to locate its first North American EV manufacturing facility in Chattanooga underscores Tennessee’s manufacturing strength and highly-skilled workforce,” added Haslam. 

Tennessee remains a hotbed of manufacturing innovation, with high numbers of employees entering the sector. The state is home to over 900 suppliers, a number which is sure to grow with such an investment. The Chattanooga plant produces VW’s Atlas SUV and Passat models, and will soon work to build the Atlas Cross Sport and its new ID. CROZZ1 SUV model in the upcoming year.