Volkswagen may be giving up on the Beetle, but its continuing its quest to regain public trust and modernize its offerings with a new all-electric mid-sized sedan for $23,000.
The German automaker cheated for years on its diesel emission tests, but its pending electric sedan has the name I.D. Aero. According to a Reuters report, it will cost nearly $12,00 less than the basic price of a Tesla Model 3.
Reuters’ sources also reported VW will convert three of its factories in Germany to produce its Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) entry. The carmaker’s goal will to manufacture 200,000 vehicles using the platform to make a family of electric vehicles.
Volkswagen said its goal is selling 10 million by the end of its “first wave,” but it did not provide a time frame. The carmaker said it hopes to debut its first MEB vehicle in 2020.
The international news agency reported VW was set to discuss the new vehicle at a mid-November board meeting.
Volkswagen has also made new partnerships with SK Innovation, a South Korean battery cell manufacturer, and Ford, Reuters reported. Ford and VW have been in exploratory talks to develop self-driving electric vehicles.
Following’s Volkswagen admitted cheating emissions tests and subsequent heavy fines, the European Union and the German government have put pressure on the automaker to improve its reputations with innovative vehicles.
Article Last Updated: November 12, 2018.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
