Contrary to previous reports, Volkswagen wants to sell conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in the United States, not plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) as expected. Volkswagen already offers several PHEV models in Europe, so it made sense that the company would simply export them to the US. After speaking with the CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America during a roundtable at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, CarBuzz learned that this is no longer the plan.
Volkswagen is a mainstream automaker founded by the German Labour Front in 1937 as the "people's car" company. Famous for the Volkswagen Beetle, Type 2 Bus, and modern classics like the Golf and Jetta, Volkswagen has emerged as one of the world's largest automakers and a subsection of the larger Volkswagen Group, which either directly or indirectly owns controlling stakes in Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Rimac, Seat, and more.