Volkswagen may build Porsche and Audi EVs in the US, thanks to Trump’s tariff tantrum
The next Porsche and Audi EVs could be made in the US. Volkswagen is considering moving Porsche and Audi EV production to the US after Trump threatened new tariffs on Europe, Mexico, Canada, and other major trade partners. Here’s how it would work.
Volkswagen mulls building Porsche EVs in the US
Volkswagen is already feeling the pressure after global deliveries fell 2.3% in 2024 to just over 9 million units. The VW Group, including Audi and Porsche, delivered 744,800 EVs last year, down 3.4% from 2023 (771,100).
Although Volkswagen delivered more electric cars in China (+8.3%), it was after a down year in 2023 as it lost market share to EV leaders like BYD. The company said that despite lower EV deliveries in Europe, it “remains by far BEV market leader” with around 21% market share.
In the US, sales of the sole Volkswagen-brand EV, the ID.4, fell 55% last year due to a recall and the rollout of an updated model. VW sold just over 17,000 ID.4s in the US, compared to nearly 37,800 in 2023.
The luxury Porsche brand didn’t fare much better, with Taycan sales slipping 20% year-over-year. Like the ID.4, the Porsche Taycan received a significant refresh this past year. Porsche also began delivering the electric Macan in late 2024.
According to a new report from Germany’s Handelsblatt, Volkswagen is considering expanding US production for Porsche and Audi EVs.
Sources close to the matter told the German newspaper that the group may set up new production sites for the luxury brands.
All Porsche and Audi EVs are currently built outside the US, making them particularly exposed to an increase in tariffs. The Audi Q5 is built in Mexico, while Porsche EV models are produced in Europe.
The move comes after US President Donald Trump proposed a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada. Most recently, he threatened new tariffs against the European Union (EU), another one of the US’s main trade partners.
According to insiders, Volkswagen’s most likely option is to expand its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the ID.4 is built.
It could also produce Audi EVs at its upcoming plant in SC, designed for the rugged Scout brand. The report suggests Audi could get a hardcore brand for itself, but that will be after Scout launches in 2027.
Porsche will collaborate with Audi to produce larger electric SUVs in the US, likely the Cayenne EV or the larger “K1” flagship model. The new electric SUVs will be based on VW’s new SSP platform, which will replace its current MEB.
Electrek’s Take
The fresh tariff threats from Trump are the latest headache the Volkswagen Group will have to deal with. It’s already losing market share in key global markets like China as EV leaders like BYD continue gaining momentum with lower-cost and often more advanced vehicles.
Volkswagen is now considering selling multiple German plants they plan to halt production at to Chinese automakers.
After several delays, Volkswagen officially canceled the ID.7, its flagship sedan in the US. The model will only be sold in Europe and China.
With pure EV makers like Rivian and Lucid gaining momentum and a slate of new electric models from GM, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo, Jeep, Dodge, and several others arriving, will Volkswagen be able to keep pace in the US? Expanding local production may be the best option to even the playing field.
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Environment
U.S. could reach deal with Canada that avoids oil and gas tariffs, energy secretary says
HOUSTON — The U.S. could reach an agreement with Canada that avoids tariffs on imports of oil, gas and other energy resources, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Monday.
Wright said such a scenario is “certainly is possible” but “it’s too early to say” in response to a question from CNBC during a press conference at the CERAWeek by S&P Global. The U.S. is in “active dialogue” with Canada and Mexico, the energy secretary said.
President Donald Trump has paused until April 2 tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports that are compliant with the agreement which governs trade in North America. Trump originally imposed broad 25% tariffs on goods from both countries as well as lesser 10% tariffs on energy imports from Canada.
It’s unclear, however, how much of the oil, gas and other energy that the U.S. imports from Canada is compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Wright declined to provide specifics when CNBC asked how much of those imports are USMCA compliant.
“I’m going to avoid the details for now,” Wright said. The energy secretary said, “We can get to no tariffs or very low tariffs but it’s got to be reciprocal” in an interview with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan.
Canada’s energy minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, warned last week that energy prices will rise in the U.S. if the tariffs on energy imports go into full effect.
“We will see higher gasoline prices as a function of energy, higher electricity prices from hydroelectricity from Canada, higher home heating prices associated with natural gas that comes from Canada and higher automobile prices,” Wilkinson told CNBC’s Megan Cassella in an interview.
The U.S. has been the largest producer of crude oil and natural gas in the world for years. But many refiners in the U.S. are dependent on heavy crude imported from Canada. The U.S. imported 6.6 million barrels of crude oil per day on average in December, more than 60% of which came from Canada, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Wright acknowledged that the tariffs are creating uncertainty in energy markets as negotiations continue.
“We’re in the middle of negotiations for where things are going to go with tariffs, so that feels frightening and gripping right now but this time will pass,” Wright said. “Deals will be made, we’ll get certainty and we’ll have a positive economic environment for Americans going forward.”
U.S. crude oil fell more than 1% Monday to close at $66.03 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent closed at $69.28 per barrel. Crude oil futures have pulled back substantially as Trump’s trade policy creates uncertainty and OPEC+ has confirmed that it plans to gradually bring back 2.2 million barrels per day of production beginning next month.
Apple is rolling out a notable update to Apple Maps EV Routing for Ford drivers. Starting today, Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning drivers can use Apple Maps EV Routing via CarPlay to plan road trips that include Tesla Superchargers – or any station that uses the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector.
As I’ve explained before, Ford began shipping adapters CCS to NACS adapters that allow Mach-E and Lightning drivers to charge at Tesla Superchargers last year. Until today, however, Apple Maps was unaware of this change. This meant Apple Maps EV Routing would only route Mach-E and Lightning drivers to CCS charging stations, even though a route with Tesla Superchargers might’ve been more efficient.
With today’s change, Apple Maps via CarPlay will now include NACS fast charging stations, such as compatible Tesla Superchargers, in recommended route planning recommendations.
In a blog post, Ford explains:
Apple Maps EV Routing in CarPlay allows drivers to input their route and can view the estimated battery level they will have when they get to a destination, as well as suggested charging stations along the way if charging is needed. Previously, Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning drivers would have to manually open another app, then enter a NACS fast charger as a destination to have it added to their route. Now, with the Apple Maps EV Routing and NACS fast charger integration, the experience will be more seamless.
How to Use Apple Maps EV Routing in CarPlay:
- Connect your Apple iPhone to CarPlay.
- Open Apple Maps, go to Settings, and confirm your preferred charging network(s) – make sure you select a NACS fast charging station, such as Tesla Supercharger. You only have to do this once.
- Enter a destination.
- Apple Maps will then calculate the estimated state of charge you will have when you get to a destination.
- If a charge is required, depending on the fastest route, it will automatically route you to a NACS fast charging station.*
This is a significant update to the Apple Maps EV Routing experience for Ford drivers. Next up on my wishlist is support for battery preconditioning when using Apple Maps EV Routing. Android Auto added this feature last October.
The new feature is available now to iPhone users running iOS 17 or later. No software update is required for your car.
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James Murdoch, a Tesla board member and friend of CEO Elon Musk, has confirmed that he sold about $13 million in stock today as the stock (TSLA) crashed.
There has been a lot of insider trading at Tesla lately, and by trading, we mean selling – cause no insider is ever buying at Tesla.
We recently reported on Kimball Musk, Elon’s brother, and Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Taneja Vaibhav recently selling ahead of a recent drop in the company’s stock price.
Tesla’s chairwoman, Robyn Denholm, also sold $33 million worth of Tesla shares last week and over $100 million in the last 3 months.
Now, it’s James Murdoch’s turn. The Tesla board member just confirmed, through a required SEC filing, that he sold 54,776 Tesla shares for just over $13 million today:
He sold as Tesla’s stock crashed 15% today. It is now down more than 50% from its all-time high just a few months ago.
Murdoch was appointed to Tesla’s board in 2017.
He is better known as the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the former CEO of 21st Century Fox from 2015 to 2019.
Murdoch was one of the Tesla board directors who was forced to return almost $1 billion in cash and stock options to Tesla as part of a settlement for over-compensation.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla insiders are unloading, and those are just the ones we know about. Public companies only have to report insider trading for board directors and listed top executives.
For the latter, Tesla purposefully only lists 3 people: Elon, Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla’s CFO, and Tom Zhu, whose role at Tesla has bit quite fluid in recent years.
Therefore, we don’t know about the dozens of other top executives potentially selling their shares right now amid a giant correction.
It’s really suspicious because there are clear top leaders at Tesla who are often on Tesla’s earnings calls, and they are not even listed, like Lars Moravy, for example.
But it’s par for the course at Tesla, which has some of the worst corporate governance I have ever seen. It’s truly shameful.
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