---
title: "Volkswagen Will Build Electric Trucks, Buses by 2022"
description: "The move is part of a $1.7-billion technology investment."
date: "2017-10-11"
modified: "2017-10-12"
authors:
  - name: "Stephen Edelstein"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein.md"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/15046/volkswagen-will-build-electric-trucks-buses-by-2022"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Trucks"
  - "Volkswagen News"
tags:
  - "buses"
  - "Commercial Vehicles"
  - "Electric Trucks"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "Tech"
  - "Volkswagen"
---

# Volkswagen Will Build Electric Trucks, Buses by 2022

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/06/volkswagen-hero-image.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

It previously looked like Volkswagen would leave the development of electric commercial trucks to other companies, but the German behemoth apparently has other plans.

VW will launch electric trucks and buses by 2022, Andreas Renschler, head of the company's commercial vehicle division, said in an interview with [*Reuters*](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-trucks-volkswagen-electric/vw-to-develop-electric-trucks-in-1-7-billion-technology-drive-idUSKBN1CG1VF>). Volkswagen plans to spend 1.4 billion euros ($1.7 billion) to fund their development, as well as on other new technologies. Yet Renschler also said a spin-off of the company's commercial-vehicle operations remained an option.

[In an interview last month](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14421/vw-is-happy-to-let-tesla-daimler-take-the-lead-on-self-driving-trucks.md>), Renschler indicated that Volkswagen would take a wait-and-see approach to electric trucks, letting companies like Daimler and Tesla release trucks first, before launching its own.

But VW will now move ahead with development of electric trucks and buses. At a company event in Hamburg, Germany, it announced plans for a an all-electric delivery vehicle, as well as a basic architecture for electric buses that will be used by its MAN and Scania commercial-vehicle brands.

Volkswagen already faces significant competition from other potential electric-truck makers. After multiple delays, [Tesla](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/14945/tesla-pushes-back-semi-reveal-so-it-can-provide-batteries-to-puerto-rico.md>) will unveil its electric semi truck November 16, and [Cummins](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/13929/it-turns-out-cummins-has-been-working-on-an-electric-semi-too.md>) has already shown a prototype electric truck. Daimler recently delivered the first Fuso e-Canter box trucks in the United States, and [may add more electric trucks](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/11500/daimler-isnt-worried-about-teslas-electric-semi-truck-exec-says.md>) to its lineup.

While the electric-truck segment is just now beginning to trend, the electric bus market is already maturing. Companies like Volvo, [California-based Proterra](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14443/proterra-electric-bus-sets-world-record-by-traveling-1100-miles-on-a-charge.md>), and Chia's BYD already sell electric buses, and their numbers will likely grow as city officials look for ways to reduce air pollution.

Electric commercial vehicles will complement Volkswagen's ambitious electrification plans for passenger cars. VW wants to offer a hybrid or all-electric version [of every model](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14260/the-volkswagen-group-will-offer-electrified-versions-of-its-entire-lineup-by-2030.md>) across all of its brands by 2030. That includes 50 new electric cars, due by 2025.

## Author
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/SAEdelstein>)

## More

- [Chinese Firm BYD Will Open An Electric Truck Factory In Canada](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/16110/chinese-firm-byd-will-open-an-electric-truck-factory-in-canada.md>)
- [Volkswagen Will Spend $40 Billion on Electric Vehicles and Self-Driving Cars Through 2022](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/16183/volkswagen-will-spend-40-billion-on-electric-vehicles-and-self-driving-cars-through-2022.md>)
- [Volkswagen Wants to Use Quantum Computing to Manage Taxis in Large Cities](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/24692/volkswagen-wants-to-use-quantum-computing-to-manage-taxis-in-large-cities.md>)
- [Volvo Wants to Sell Electric Trucks in North America by 2020](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/23906/volvo-wants-to-sell-electric-trucks-in-north-america-by-2020.md>)
- [Volkswagen Will Test Electric Trucks Powered by Overhead Wires](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/21060/volkswagen-will-test-electric-trucks-powered-by-overhead-wires.md>)
- [Navistar Will Have More Electric Trucks on the Road Than Tesla by 2025, CEO Says](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/17324/navistar-will-have-more-electric-trucks-on-the-road-than-tesla-by-2025-ceo-says.md>)
- [VW Expects to Have 16 Production Sites for Electric Cars by 2022](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/19194/vw-expects-to-have-16-production-sites-for-electric-cars-by-2022.md>)
- [Freightliner Deploys Test Fleet of 30 Electric Trucks With US Customers](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/21854/freightliner-deploys-test-fleet-of-30-electric-trucks-with-us-customers.md>)