Volkswagen to build US pickup by 2030 as part of America comeback plan

Volkswagen Group plans to win back the American market with a pickup truck built in the US by 2030. According to Reuters, the company intends to enter the pickup and large SUV segments, which it currently ignores but which offer high margins. This is part of a strategy to restore its position amid falling sales in China and North America.

The Reuters sources are anonymous, and Volkswagen declined to comment, so the news should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, the logic is sound: a four-door pickup is a go-to solution for Americans who need one vehicle for passengers and cargo that doesn't require protection from the elements. A hatchback or station wagon might seem more sensible, but that's probably why you're reading Ars Technica.

The US market, due to tariffs and outdated emissions regulations, has become a haven for vehicles that are uncompetitive or unsellable elsewhere. Pickup sales in the US are projected to reach nearly $200 billion in 2026 and keep growing. The global car might be dead, but that just means developing models for each region's tastes, and Americans really like pickups.

Reviving its American operations is critical for VW Group. Last year was bad for the company's bottom line, and 2026 looks to be more of the same as sales fall in China and North America. Management plans to streamline the company by closing factories and laying off workers by 2030 to improve competitiveness. The plan is backed by the Porsche family, which owns just under 32 percent of the company.

However, the closures and layoffs face strong opposition from the state of Lower Saxony, which holds 20 percent of VW Group, as well as unions, which occupy half the seats on the supervisory board. The standoff between shareholders and labor could become a key obstacle to implementing the strategy.