Volkswagen to Double e-Golf Production in Dresden, Germany

The e-Golf seems like old news given Volkswagen plans to launch a host of longer-range electric vehicles on a new dedicated platform starting in the next few years. But apparently the small electric hatch is selling well enough in Germany to warrant an increase in production at the automaker’s plant in Dresden.

“To meet higher demand for the e-Golf, production capacity at the Transparent Factory is to be increased,” Volkswagen said in a statement released this month.

Production will gradually increase from 35 to 70 vehicles a day starting in March 2018, the automaker also announced. The plant in Dresden will add a second shift to accommodate this change.

Recently introduced federal incentives have increased the demand for EVs in Germany, as has a diesel scrappage program. Automakers have been offering rebates for drivers who scrap their old diesel cars and purchase more environmentally friendly vehicles. Still, the e-Golf isn’t performing spectacularly in the U.S. right now. Here, sales of the model are down 8.7 percent for the first 11 months of the year, from 3,494 units to just 3,191. Compare that to overall Golf sales in the U.S., which are up 7.4 percent.

The Volkswagen e-Golf received important updates for 2017, making it more sophisticated than its predecessor. Battery capacity has increased to provide an EPA-estimated range of 125 miles, an increase from 83 miles. The motor now puts out 134 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque, compared to 115 hp and 199 lb-ft from the previous model.

Volkswagen will sell the I.D. electric hatch in Europe by 2019, while the I.D. Crozz will arrive in the U.S. in 2020. The Microbus-inspired I.D. Buzz will go on sale in 2022 in the U.S.

Source: Volkswagen via Electrek

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