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A new, larger VW electric SUV will arrive in the US. Despite several automakers pulling back, Volkswagen says it’s sticking to its EV plans. Meanwhile, the automaker may add hybrids as it looks to boost sales in the US.

Volkswagen sticks to US electric vehicle plans

After delivering 37,789 electric vehicles (only the ID.4 for now) in the US last year (+84.2% YOY), Volkswagen looks to accelerate sales in 2024.

According to registration data, VW was the eighth top-selling EV maker last year, with 3.2% of the US market. Although sales are up, VW was still behind rivals Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Hyundai.

Rivals like Mercedes, Ford, and GM have pushed back EV targets, citing slowing than expected demand, but Volkswagen Group of America CEO Pablo Di Si says EV plans remain.

“We’re not questioning the future,” Di Si told Automotive News during VW’s annual media conference. The comments mirror those made by VW Group CEO Oliver Blume. Blume explained the group established a “solid foundation” in 2023.

“With inspiring products, a consistent and clear focus on implementation, we are looking forward to the 2024 financial year with confidence,” Blume said.

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2024 Volkswagen ID.4 (Source: Volkswagen US Media Site)

VW expects to continue to “grow profitably” in North America. CFO Arno Antilitz said VW could see the highest growth in North America this year, with interest rates expected to come back down.

The German automaker is strengthening its EV lineup with a longer-range ID.4 (see our review) and two new all-electric models, including the ID.7 and ID Buzz.

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Volkswagen ID.7 (Source: VW)

VW to launch new electric SUV, may add PHEVs in the US

Di Si doesn’t see the new EVs driving huge growth but calls them halo models. On the ID Buzz, Di Si said, “Is it going to be a volume driver like Atlas? Probably not.” But VW doesn’t want it to be. It’s designed as a niche product.

The brand’s North American leader said VW will continue investing in SUVs. He confirmed VW will launch a large electric SUV in the US that could be the volume EV they are looking for.

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From left to right Volkswagen ID.4, ID Buzz, ID.7 (Source: Volkswagen US Media Site)

Although Blume confirmed EVs were “the future, period,” he added, “we are flexible enough to adapt to changes in different markets.

Volkswagen doesn’t offer a PHEV (or any hybrid) in the US, but that could change. Di Si said VW is taking a close look at it and looks to address it in the near term.

The brand launched the Tiguan PHEV in Europe with up to 62 miles of all-electric range. “We have the basis, we’re just trying to figure out how, when, how to homologate and how to localize,” Di Si said.

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Volkswagen Tiguan PHEV (Source: Volkswagen AG)

The leader didn’t confirm plans for a PHEV but did say new tech was not needed. Di Si said VW has the platform and tech. “You can take that and adapt it to another SUV if we want to.”

Volkswagen isn’t the only automaker looking to lean more into hybrids. Toyota, Ford, GM, and others have announced similar plans.

Porsche also confirmed it would stick to its EV target with plans to launch several new electric models, including the Macan EV and updated Taycan. Blume said the Macan EV already earned 10,000 orders, “and these customers haven’t even been able to drive the car yet.”

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Ford has a new ‘electrified’ Mustang in the works, and it’s not the Mach-E

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Ford has a new 'electrified' Mustang in the works, and it's not the Mach-E

Ford is testing a new electrified Mustang that may not be as electric as it seems. The next-gen Mustang is apparently already in development. Here’s what we know about it so far.

Is Ford launching an electrified Mustang Hybrid?

After postponing around $12 billion in planned spending on electric vehicles in 2023, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said the company would lean more into hybrids.

Farley told investors and analysts on the company’s Q3 2023 earnings call that he’s “so thankful we have kept our foot on the gas to freshen our ICE and HEV products as we enter a changing market.”

Ford’s CFO, John Lawler, reaffirmed the company’s plans later that year, saying the company would use hybrids as a bridge to fully electric vehicles.

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“With EV adoption slower, hybrids are going to be a bigger part,” Lawler said, adding that Ford “became a little bit complacent” on hybrid tech. Last year, Ford said it would introduce a hybrid version for every gas-powered vehicle in its lineup by 2030.

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2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)

Ford is apparently making good on its promise with a new Mustang hybrid in development. According to a new report from Ford Authority, the Mustang hybrid, internally code-named S650E, is in development, and prototypes are already being tested.

The report claims the new Mustang has entered the Technology Prove-Out stage, suggesting it will be electrified to some degree.

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Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally (Source: Ford)

Whether it will be a traditional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) remains unclear. Although the company has yet to confirm it, Farley said that a “partially electrified Mustang coupe” was a strong possibility, and Ford’s Performance unit is already testing hybrid powertrains.

Electrek’s Take

Will the new Mustang hybrid sit alongside the Mach-E in Ford’s lineup? Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains one of the top-selling EVs in the US, so it’s unlikely to go anywhere, but it is due for a refresh with so many new rivals entering the market.

Through August, Ford sold 34,319 Mustang Mach-Es (+6.7% YOY) in the US. The gas-powered Mustang continues to fall out of favor, with 31,015 units sold in the first eight months of 2025, 8.3% fewer than during the same period in 2024.

With Hyundai, Stellantis, Honda, and several other global OEMs planning to launch new hybrid models in the US, the Ford Mustang hybrid doesn’t come as a total surprise. We will still have to wait for the official word from Ford, but a new electrified Stang seems more than likely.

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Offshore driller Transocean plunges after offering shares at a discount

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Offshore driller Transocean plunges after offering shares at a discount

Transocean Barents, an oil platform passes through Canakkale Strait as vessel traffic suspended in both directions in Canakkale, Turkiye on November 12, 2024.

Enishan Keskin | Anadolu | Getty Images

Shares of Transocean plunged Thursday after the offshore driller announced the sale of a large number of shares at a discount.

Transocean is planning to sell 125 million shares at a price of $3.05, significantly lower than Wednesday’s close of $3.64. It is offering 25 million shares more than it originally planned.

The Swiss company’s stock was last down 14.8% premarket. The offering is expected to close on Friday.

Transocean expects to book about $381 million from the sale. It will use the proceeds to pay off debt.

(Correction: Updates with correct share offering price.)

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NYC’s new 15 MPH speed limit for e-bikes goes into effect next month, but cars still get a pass

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NYC’s new 15 MPH speed limit for e-bikes goes into effect next month, but cars still get a pass

New York City’s new 15 mph speed limit for electric bikes is officially set to take effect next month, in what city officials claim is a move to improve street safety. But not everyone is convinced the crackdown is targeting the real threat on the roads.

The new limit, approved earlier this year, applies to e-bikes, mopeds, and other micromobility vehicles operating in city bike lanes. Riders caught exceeding 15 mph could face warnings or citations, though the exact enforcement strategy remains murky. The NYPD says it will focus on “education first,” but given the city’s track record, that could just be the calm before the ticket storm.

The rule comes amid growing concerns from some residents and officials about rising speeds among e-bike riders, especially delivery workers who often rely on throttle-equipped bikes to meet tight deadlines. But while the new speed cap is aimed at micromobility vehicles, there’s a noticeable omission: cars, trucks, and SUVs, which continue to be allowed to travel at 25 mph – and in practice, often much faster – even though they pose exponentially more risk to vulnerable road users and are responsible for orders of magnitude more deaths each year.

It’s a move that raises eyebrows and has resulted in thousands of publicly-submitted comments that the New York Department of Transportation has seemingly ignored.

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After all, the majority of traffic fatalities in New York City don’t involve e-bikes. They involve cars. And while some e-bike riders certainly ride irresponsibly, the blanket limit nearly cuts in half the more widely accepted e-bike speed limits used around the US, and doesn’t even apply to pedal bikes, which can easily exceed such speeds despite nearly identical average weights when factoring in the vehicle and rider. Not to mention, it ignores the critical role that e-bikes play in reducing traffic congestion and emissions, especially in the delivery and commuting sectors.

So while New York is slowing down its most efficient and sustainable form of urban transport, it’s letting the real heavyweights keep their speed. If the goal is safety, then it’s fair to ask: why aren’t cars being asked to go 15 mph too?

Because once again, it seems the rules are written for the powerful – not the vulnerable.

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