Electrical pickup truck is “probability of a lifetime,” says VW’s US chief

The pickup truck reigns supreme within the U.S., however new entries have tended to battle as a result of phase’s dominance by Detroit manufacturers.

Electrification could present the chance for newcomers to seek out success, nonetheless. We have already seen this with Rivian which has racked up tens of 1000’s of orders for its R1T, in addition to Tesla with related numbers for the Cybertruck.

It is no shock then that Volkswagen of America CEO Scott Koegh stated that an electrical pickup truck might be a boon for the VW model within the U.S. throughout an interview with Enterprise Insider revealed on Friday.

“I believe it is the possibility of a lifetime on this phase as a result of electrification provides you a reset second,” he stated. “It provides you an opportunity to carry some, to illustrate, alternate options and a few new concepts into this nice phase.”

Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak idea

Koegh stated an electrical pickup is one thing VW is “actively” investigating, however he had nothing to report on now.

VW has already teased the thought of a pickup for the U.S. market, not as soon as, however twice. The primary time was in 2018 when the automaker rolled out the Atlas Tanoak idea which was based mostly on the Atlas mid-size SUV. The second time was in 2019 when the automaker rolled out the Tarok idea. The Tarok was a smaller sibling to the Atlas Tanoak, however constructed on the identical MQB platform.

Ought to VW give the inexperienced mild for an electrical pickup within the U.S., it will nearly definitely imply the truck would should be constructed right here to keep away from the 25% Rooster Tax on imported vans. Whereas a brand new plant is a chance, VW additionally has its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the place the automaker already builds the ID.4 small crossover and can sooner or later add extra EVs to the roster.

VW already sells a handful of internal-combustion pickups exterior the U.S. This consists of the Amarok mid-sizer which is about to be redesigned across the T6 platform of the Ford Ranger. Nonetheless, VW is not anticipated to supply the Amarok right here, although the automaker hasn’t dominated out the likelihood both.