Volkswagen Wants An Electric Truck For America

The tide is changing for pickup trucks, like so many other vehicles these days. More battery-powered trucks than ever are on offer, from Rivian and Ford to GM and now maybe even Volkswagen. VW has been quietly taking notes, no doubt noticing demand for electric trucks like the Ford F-150 Lightning and small trucks like the Maverick.

While Ford might be at the top of its truck game at the moment, VW of America CEO Scott Keogh says there could be room for VW in the segment. We’ve seen interest from VW before, specifically when Hein Schafer, VWoA’s head of product marketing, didn’t specifically rule out an electric VW truck.

Speaking to Business Insider, Keogh says he sees an electric truck as an unmissable opportunity for the Wolfsburg brand. Keogh went on to say that “I think it’s the chance of a lifetime in this segment because electrification gives you a reset moment. It gives you a chance to bring some, let’s say, alternatives and some new ideas into this great segment.”

Keogh also said that VW didn’t have any specific plans for the vehicle, stating “It’s something we’re actively looking at, but nothing to actually report now.”

Keogh made mention of trucks across the American market, from the Lightning to Rivian’s R1T. Perhaps that means VW’s eventual EV pickup won’t be a small Maverick competitor, but a full or midsize truck instead. However, Ford and VW are working together on VW’s MEB electric vehicle architecture. A possible platform-shared small electric VW/Ford truck isn’t totally off the table, especially at this early stage.

In all likelihood, any upcoming VW electric truck will make use of VW’s existing platform architecture, likely similar to what underpins the Volkswagen ID.4, or the MEB platform. Given VW’s collaboration with Ford, we also can’t totally rule out a small lineup of VW trucks here in America, from smaller options like the Ford Maverick to a larger truck built to compete with American truck royalty.

For now, we’re going to have to wait and see how VW’s electric lineup does here in America. The ID.4 is incredibly popular, and we’re expecting similar popularity from the quirky-yet-fun ID.Buzz. With VW aiming for 55% of US sales to be electric by 2030, it’s hard to imagine a truck won’t be part of that plan.