Audi VW to offer 8 more electric vehicles in S. Korea by 2023

Audi Volkswagen will boost its electric vehicle lineup in South Korea to meet growing local demand for zero-emission cars with the addition of eight all-electric models by 2023.

According to Audi Volkswagen Korea Managing Director Rene Koneberg, among the eight cars are the Audi e-tron Sportback 55 in 2021 and the Volkswagen ID.4 SUV in 2022

Koneberg noted that Audi Volkswagen will focus on promoting electrified models to further improve its sales in South Korea.

The company expects sales to more than double to 42,000 units this year compared with last year, helped by new models, such as the Tiguan SUV and the Arteon sedan.

The German carmaker launched its first pure electric e-tron SUV in July to prop up sales in the "extremely important" Korean market despite the coronavirus outbreak.

Christian Dahlheim, director-general in charge of sales at Volkswagen Group, said they would make necessary investments to continue to grow in Korea.

Koneberg noted that the company managed the Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal "very well.

Audi Volkswagen has struggled with weak sales in recent years due to the impact of the emissions cheating scandal that began in September 2015, when the United States discovered the German carmaker cheated on its local diesel emissions tests.

In July 2016, the group "voluntarily" stopped selling its vehicles here as the Seoul government announced it would ban the sale of all Audi and Volkswagen cars and impose heavy fines for emissions cheating.
Audi Volkswagen resumed sales in Korea in early 2018.

In 2020, the four brands that Audi Volkswagen sells launched 54 new and upgraded vehicles here to revive sales. Over 20 such models, including electrified ones, are set for launch next year.

According to the Korean Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, Audi Volkswagen's sales from January to November more than doubled to 37,824 autos from 15,607 units last year.