Volkswagen Goes On The Offensive In North America With Wave Of EV And SUV Models

VW still doesn't get it. A barrage of EVs will not be the ticket to success. Those products will be expensive and that is precisely what VW needs to stop being.

You are completely missing the boat....EV's are future of cars in the long term (ie. 2050 and onwards timeframe). VW is doing the smart thing by building up their R&D/infrastructure capabilities in this area.

I am so NOT missing the boat, but you are because you have swallowed the "cars of the future" BS that VW wants you to swallow.

It's not that EVs aren't important, but they are a long way away from being the majority sellers for ANY brand Tesla excluded.

VW desperately needs short-term home runs to offset the staggering hit that Dieselgate has been and continues to be to their bottom line and EVs simply aren't the solution.

Besides, a cheap EV is going to run $35K and there are a LOT of consumers who simply cannot qualify for a $35K loan and that conspires against sales.

Moreover, VW already has EV technology via Porsche and Audi, so this amounts to nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at PR.

Finally, if you don't understand that investments in EV technology for 2020-25 will in no way have any carry over to 2050, then you're patently unintelligent. EV technology--like the early days of computers--will leapfrog many times between 2020 and 2050.

Five years from now the technology on the Tesla S will be old and 10 years from now it will be archaic despite the fact that at the moment it's current (excuse the pun).

This is their chance to make significant inroads into the US market. They are also bringing a new full size SUV and a larger Tiguan to the American market which should be decent successes for them in the short to medium term. Once this product comes to market they will have a fill lineup of ICE vehicles in the USA short of pickup trucks. These EVs will be brought to the US in addition to the current lineup not as a replacement to it. VW will not be the price leader in any segment as their vehicles are built to have premium driving dynamics and interior fit/finish vs other mainstream makes.

The decision to try to get ahead of the next big change in the industry is a smart one, especially since they need to get moving on developing EV technology in their home market. In case you are not aware the Bundesrat has voted to eliminate internal combustion engines by 2030, and there is growing movement towards this in other EU nations as well.

Someone clearly does not understand just how class TRAILING VW's products are, but hey I'm sure they will be happy to sell you a new VW Atlast.

VW may be lagging in the USA, a lot of this has to do with their vehicles being priced at slightly higher than the competition and in the past their vehicles were smaller than the competition. Right now they are hurting because they don't have competitive SUVs which are becoming the new family sedan. Once these new products come online they will do much better.
VW is also kind of in a odd spot in the market, along with Mazda...both of these brands make cars with great driving dynamics and premium interior finish but they don't generate great sales volume. Honda/Toyota dominate volume with people interested in a reliable transportation appliance. GM/Ford dominate with people who choose vehicles based on patriotic feelings and in large Trucks/SUVs. Hyundai/Kia dominate with price conscious customers and those with poor credit.
Globally and with Audi/Posche the picture is very different. VWs products are some of the most competitive in the most other markets. Audi and Porsche both have very competitive product and generate excellent sales volume and profits.

Have you driven an American Passat? It's so easily outclassed for driving dynamics and easily surpassed by others for interior quality.

I have driven one and it feels much more solid on the road especially at speed than other similar cars I have driven. The driving feel of a German car is different that than of a asian car...they just feel more solid and responsive to driver inputs. The VW interior is true to German standards, it is built for function first, and with good material quality. It lacks some of the 'flair" of the competition but it also will look decent years from now when others will look dated. Many reviews of the Passat (and Jetta) agree with both of those points I made. These things do not necessarily appeal to people who are looking for a reliable "appliance" to get them from point a to point b.

Cash that check from VW ASAP.