Volkswagen

Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., voted overwhelmingly to unionize with the UAW, setting a new trajectory for labor unions in the American South.

Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., are voting this week on whether to join the United Auto Workers union. Two previous attempts to unionize the plant failed. Ballots will be counted on Friday.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics discusses Volkswagen choosing Canada over Oklahoma for its electric vehicle battery plant despite a $700M incentive package, Gov. Kevin Stitt declining to accept a shipment of toxic waste from the train derailment in Ohio and more.

Volkswagen of America will not, in fact, be renaming itself "Voltswagen of America." A statement to that effect was a joke "in the spirit of April Fool's Day," the company said.

Computer chips are an essential component for new cars. But car production has recovered faster than expected, and competing demand for semiconductors has also been rising. Some plants are struggling.

The German automakers have finished compensating U.S. owners as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Most drivers chose to replace their vehicles, not repair them, the FTC says.

The last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Mexico this week. We remember the beloved automotive icon with stories from our listeners.

The outcome at the Chattanooga plant is the latest blow against organized labor in the South, where union advocates have tried for years to strengthen representation in auto facilities.

The German carmaker is planning to introduce a $30,000 to $40,000 electric car in 2020 to compete with similarly priced American vehicles.

The German auto giant has a new top management and a new focus. The diesel scandal helped drive VW toward investing in electric cars, but other major automakers are betting on a plug-in future too.