Volkswagen have made the ambitious claim that they’ll have electric vehicles that are just as good as Tesla – and half the price – by 2020.
Over the last decade, we’ve seen a major influx of electric cars on the market. As fuel prices go up and concerns of environmentalism continue to remain constant, it makes sense that more and more vehicle manufacturers would invest in the electric vehicle market.
However, since Tesla introduced their Model S back in 2012, they’ve undoubtedly been one of the frontrunners in the industry, backing up their consistent performance with quality and reliability. Needless to say, for any company to try and take the crown from Tesla is one ambitious move.
However, it seems the folks over at Volkswagen are definitely not lacking in ambition, announcing plans to overthrow Tesla as leaders of the electric vehicle world within just a couple of years.
As Electrek reports, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess recently made these claims while speaking on the German talkshow Maybrit Illner.
“Here we come very strong now,” Diess explained. “We have invested 30 billion in electromobility, we have already rededicated a plant in Zwickau, and we are building an electric vehicle plant in Shanghai. We will come in 2020 with vehicles that can do anything like Tesla and are cheaper by half.”
As it stands, Volkswagen’s only foray into the electric vehicle market comes from their 2014 e-Golf model. While the vehicle was updated with a new battery management system just last year, it specifications pale in comparison to Tesla’s Model 3, also released last year.
However, Volkwagen have been teasing the release of the I.D. Neo for a couple of years now, with many claiming it to be the most prominent rival of Tesla’s Model 3. While we’ll have to wait and see how the two companies compare in terms of their flagship vehicles, we’re interested to see how Tesla will flourish under with competitors at their heels.
Check out Tesla’s Model 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GrNv3ow9H8
