ELECTRIFYING CANADA

VW gets ready to launch a line of electric vehicles; takes steps to ensure a network of charging stations

Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. Subsequent development will expand this network even further, helping make long-distance EV travel an exercise in simplicity.

Utilization of this network will not be limited to drivers of Volkswagen cars and trucks. It has been designed to accommodate the charging systems of virtually every brand of electric vehicle, thereby improving the EV infrastructure and, hopefully, increasing Canadians’ acceptance of this technology. It will take many more initiatives such as this to win over consumers’ hearts and minds, and we are delighted to be a part of it all.

This formidable advancement will take place alongside, rather than instead of, the development of traditional powertrains, which will still play a significant role in our personal mobility for years to come.

A significant advantage held by the Volkswagen Group is our international scope, and sheer scale. Cars developed in Germany are designed with global markets in mind, and benefit from the engineering might of one of the world’s largest manufacturers. This global vision allows us to tailor our products for the markets in which they are to be sold. Here in Canada, our most recent product offensive has focused on SUVs and other allwheel-drive vehicles. Our Atlas seven-passenger SUV could not have been met more enthusiastically, and the newly-redesigned Tiguan compact SUV and Golf Alltrack all-wheel-drive adventure wagon have found fans from coast to coast.

Next year, we will launch our new flagship: the Arteon. This executive sedan combines the power of a turbocharged engine with the security and sure-footedness of all-wheel drive, and wraps this in a fastback body that will draw stares from far and wide.

At Volkswagen, we are very excited about the future of the automobile. We have not, however, lost sight of the here and now. Our future is rooted in delivering upon the same fundamentals we have since we made our first cars over 80 years ago. Safety, durability and low cost of ownership have been hallmarks of Volkswagen since the earliest days, and are among the main reasons our owners cite for keeping them in the family. When we wrap these attributes in comfortable and spacious vehicles, we assure our place in the Canadian market — and we couldn’t be prouder of that fact.

By 2020, Volkswagen will launch the first of a complete lineup of electric vehicles they’re calling the I.D. family, shown in this artist’s rendering as a variety of concept cars including sedans, SUVs and people movers.

IMAGES COURTESY OF VOLKSWAGEN CANADA Volkswagen’s new flagship, the 2019 Arteon executive sedan, combines the power of a turbocharged engine with the sure-footedness of all-wheel drive.

If you are even remotely connected to the automotive industry, you’ve likely been caught up in the excitement generated by the oncoming tsunami of electric and autonomous vehicles.Having been involved in the business for quite some time, I must admit that I, too, am eagerly anticipating what might effectively be the complete transformation of personal mobility.And all of this is just around the corner.By 2020, Volkswagen will launch the first of a complete lineup of electric vehicles including passenger cars, SUVs, people movers and luxury sedans that we are calling the “I.D. family ”. Each will be built off a dedicated electric-only platform, giving Canadians a choice of vehicle that best suits their lifestyle. What was up until recently only a dream will soon become a reality, as more and more drivers move toward an electric future.A change of this magnitude will require more than just the introduction of a new car. To help prepare for this future, Volkswagen Group Canada has formed a new company that will significantly improve our country’s charging infrastructure. “Electrify Canada” has embarked upon an initiative that will see high-power charging stations installed and maintained at key locations along Canadian highways.The first phase of the program will see numerous stations put into place as soon as the first half of 2019 within the provinces of British PRESIDENT AND CEO VOLKSWAGEN GROUP CANADA INC.