2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Starts Production in the U.S.

• Volkswagen started production of the ID.4 at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

• The 2023 ID.4 models built in the U.S. will be slightly different from the existing Europe-built models.

• A cheaper version of the ID.4 with a smaller battery pack is coming later this year.

Volkswagen ID.4 models have begun rolling off the assembly line in Chattanooga, Tennessee and will reach dealerships starting in October. The electric SUV first went on sale here for the 2021 model year, but has been imported from VW's plant in Germany since its launch.

VW says it intends to ramp up production in the U.S. to 7000 cars per month by the end of the year; for reference, it has sold just 4415 ID.4s on our shores through the first half of this year and moved 16,742 units in 2021.

The U.S.-built 2023 ID.4 will also feature a few changes compared with the Europe-built car. VW says that the center console is revised, and that the 77.0-kWh battery will come from a different, U.S.-based supplier, SK Innovation in Georgia. Some interior materials will also be sourced from suppliers in the U.S. There will also be a new entry-level model added by the end of the year that will come with a smaller battery pack, rear-wheel drive, and a lower base price that VW previously estimated at around $35,000. Pricing for the 2023 ID.4 models will be released next week.