Diess: Electric Pickup In US Is A "Good Idea," Beetle EV Possible

The VW Group CEO did not confirm the models in his Reddit AMA session, but his comments suggest they are at least under consideration.

By: Dan Mihalascu

Feb 17, 2022 at 4:39am ET

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Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess hosted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit yesterday and it proved to be quite popular, racking up more than 1,000 questions.

The executive only replied to a limited number of questions, many of which were about electric vehicles. With the US market being key to Volkswagen, one redditor wondered whether the automaker is considering an electric pickup like the Ford F-150 Lightning for the USA.

“Good idea!” Herbert Diess replied, without making any further comments. While his casual answer is not a confirmation by any means, it certainly leaves the door open, suggesting that an electric pickup is at least under consideration.

A pickup is certainly something Volkswagen could use in the United States where this type of vehicle is very popular. But as things stand right now, there's no clear indication an electric pickup will happen.

Gallery: Volkswagen ID. Beetle Renders

Herbert Diess was also asked by a redditor to bring back the Beetle as an EV, "a real Beetle that’s easy to modify, small, and fun." Once again, the VW Group CEO left the door open to the possibility of a Beetle revival without committing to anything.

"Our most emotional car in our history is definitely the Microbus. This was my first priority to bring this icon back to life. But yes, many other emotional cars are possible on our scalable MEB platform."

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This is not the first time Diess has talked about the possibility of an all-electric Beetle. In 2018, he approached the topic hypothetically.

"If we wanted to do a Beetle EV, it would be much better than today's model, much closer to history, because it could be rear-wheel drive."

While the electric Beetle remains in the realm of rumors for now, the electric Microbus, a.k.a. the ID. Buzz, is only weeks away from its unveiling (March 9, 2022). Following its digital premiere, the van will make its first public appearance on March 11 in Austin, Texas.