Volkswagen of America said Thursday that it had committed $20 million to ongoing efforts to prepare its U.S. retail network to sell battery-electric vehicles, including underwriting upgrades at franchised dealerships for charging infrastructure and fixed ops.
U.S. dealers began selling the VW ID4 compact crossover in March. The automaker will begin local production in early 2022 at its assembly complex in Chattanooga.
VW said that its subsidy program, which is scheduled to continue through June, has resulted so far in dealers adding 23,490 kilowatts of charging capacity and training more than 1,260 service technicians across the country. More than 99 percent of VW dealers in the U.S. signed up for improvements needed to sell EVs.
“It’s the consumer who will lead America’s electric vehicle revolution,” Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said in a statement. “And it’s our dealership partners who bring their communities into electric vehicles, providing unmatched service and expertise. We’re dedicated to fully support them in this journey. With nine out of ten Volkswagen ID.4 buyers identifying as first-time EV buyers, I’ve never been more confident that the electric future is driven by Volkswagen.”
The German automaker also launched a retention program for EV technicians, paying bonuses of $2,000 per year at participating dealerships while allowing technicians to gain new individual certifications and build up expertise in EV service work for VW models.
From March to September, VW sold 12,279 ID4s in the U.S. The automaker only reports U.S. sales quarterly. VW says it has “more than 40,000 ID4 gross reservations since its introduction in March 2021.”