The VW ID. Tiguan is now being produced in series.

Just a few weeks after introducing the VW ID. Tiguan, Volkswagen has now begun mass production of the electric SUV at its plant in Emden. Although the vehicle won’t be available at dealerships until early 2027, thousands of pre-orders have already been placed.

Start of production for the VW ID. Tiguan

Image: Volkswagen

Volkswagen unveiled the new ID. Tiguan in early October. It replaces the electric SUV ID.4 and its coupe version ID.5, with no coupe version of the ID. Tiguan planned. By using the new name VW ID. Tiguan, the company emphasizes its connection to the best-selling gasoline-powered Tiguan, which has sold over eight million units to date.

The new VW ID. Tiguan offers powertrains with up to 220 kW, enabling ranges of up to 600 km and towing capacities of up to two tons. However, the charging performance, which is not exactly state-of-the-art, has already drawn significant criticism from electrive readers: the small 58-kWh battery (LFP) achieves only 105 kW at DC fast chargers, while the larger 77-kWh battery (NMC) manages 165 kW. For more details, see our review of the VW ID. Tiguan.

Now, Volkswagen has begun mass production of the ID. Tiguan — but not at its main plant, where the “Gamechanger” project was recently canceled,而是 as planned in Emden. This factory near the Dutch border has been producing only electric vehicles for about two years, most recently the ID.4, ID.7, and ID.7 Tourer, which is the station wagon version of the ID.7 sedan.

Production of ID.4 Already Ceased

Although Volkswagen does not mention this in its communications, the production of the ID.4 apparently ended at the latest with the start of ID. Tiguan production. This is because freely configurable units of the ID.4 are no longer available for order, and the manufacturer only offers stock vehicles of this model on its website. Moreover, the production of the coupé version ID.5 must have stopped weeks ago, as there are no stock vehicles of this model either.

But back to the start of mass production of the VW ID. Tiguan, through which Volkswagen aims to continue the success story of the ID family, which has seen over two million vehicles delivered since its launch in 2019. Production at Hall 20b in the VW plant in Emden was now launched in the presence of, among others, VW brand chief Thomas Schäfer, deputy chairman of the works council Jürgen Mahnkopf, and Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Olaf Lies (SPD).

The Emden plant has overcome the transition to electrification

Christian Vollmer, head of production and logistics for the Volkswagen brand, says, “The start of production for the ID. Tiguan is a special moment for the Emden plant. Behind this achievement lies tremendous collective effort. Over the past years, our colleagues have actively contributed to the shift toward electrification, implemented new technologies and processes, and adapted to changed production requirements. With great experience, flexibility, and personal commitment, they have created the conditions that allow us to manufacture the ID. Tiguan here with high quality. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all employees in Emden for this.”

Image: Volkswagen

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According to NDR, the plant produced 780 vehicles per day across all models recently. To date, Volkswagen says more than 500,000 electric vehicles have been manufactured in Emden. However, the plant is on the list of sites at risk of closure by Volkswagen, as employment at the plant remains uncertain after 2031.

Great Concerns About the Plant’s Future

This sentiment is also reflected in the statement by Jürgen Mahnkopf, the vice chairman of the works council. He said, “In Emden, it’s always evident just how passionate the colleagues are about their products. The ID. Tiguan is in the best hands here. It also represents a potential building block for the future of the Emden factory over the next decade: We are very confident that the ID. Tiguan will make a decisive contribution to allowing VW to celebrate 70 years of history in Emden by 2034 — with a proud record of electric vehicle production to look back on.”

At the event marking the start of mass production of the VW ID. Tiguan, Prime Minister Olaf Lies, who also sits on Volkswagen’s supervisory board, voiced support for keeping the VW plant in Emden open. There is “no deadline for car production in Emden,” Lies said according to the “Handelsblatt.” The first wage negotiations in the current conflict will take place on November 24. Although these negotiations are not directly related to a possible closure of the plant starting in 2031, the IG Metall union is calling for a demonstration on that day under the slogan “Save VW-Emden.”