CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Volkswagen is “actively” seeking to set up new meeting and battery amenities within the U.S., Volkswagen of America CEO Scott Keogh informed CNBC on Wednesday.

Keogh declined to debate potential areas for such operations. The German automaker’s electrification efforts are at the moment based mostly in Tennessee, together with localized manufacturing of the VW ID.4 crossover EV, which is ready to start later this yr.

“We’re actively within the strategy of one other manufacturing facility and in addition a battery facility,” Keogh mentioned in an interview.

Volkswagen continues to be discussing and evaluating its choices, and no choices have been made, an organization spokesperson mentioned.

Such amenities, whether or not new or expansions, would imply a major choice and certain billions of {dollars} in new U.S. funding for VW, which at the moment has North American meeting vegetation in Tennessee and Mexico.

Any funding would observe comparable strikes by different firms to extend EV manufacturing within the U.S. – a serious objective of the Biden administration.

The potential for brand spanking new VW electrical automobile amenities within the U.S. was beforehand reported by European media.

Keogh’s feedback adopted the grand opening of the German automaker’s new $22 million electrical automobile battery lab, which is positioned close to its sole American meeting plant in Chattanooga. It is a part of a $7.1 billion dedication to spice up its EV efforts in North America.

The brand new 32,000-square-foot battery lab will take a look at and optimize batteries for electrical autos for the U.S. market. It is certainly one of 4 such amenities that VW has introduced globally.