VW BUDD-e CONCEPT TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Herndon, VA (August 1, 2016) — Volkswagen of America, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Volkswagen BUDD-e has been named “2016 Concept Truck of the Year” at the 15th Annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. Judges recognized the all-electric microbus concept for raising the standards of automotive design, with features that address both the utility and mobility needs of the present and future. The award ceremony was held at the Concours d’Elegance of America at St. John’s in Plymouth, Mich., on July 31, 2016.

“We are thrilled that the BUDD-e has been honored as 2016 Concept Truck of the Year and would like to thank the panel of judges for recognizing Volkswagen’s innovation,” said Dr Hendrik Muth, Director of Product Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc., accepting the award. “We are determined to lead the future of automotive design, and BUDD-e shows the capabilities of our all-new electric vehicle architecture and further advances connectivity and infotainment.”
The first Volkswagen vehicle built using the company’s Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB), the BUDD-e captures the brand’s heritage, while offering a glimpse into the company’s next-generation connectivity, infotainment and EV technologies. The BUDD-e concept’s highlights include:

•  A 101 kWh battery that gives a manufacturer estimated range of up to 233 miles.
• Gesture control 2.0 that enables intuitive operation of interior and exterior features.
• Seamless communications with smart home and smart car technology, and infotainment technologies that turn travel into a fully interactive, intuitive experience.

More than two dozen jurors participated in the selection process of the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. Twenty vehicles, each introduced to North America during this season's auto shows in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, and New York, were judged.
The four award categories included: “Production Preview Vehicle,” “Concept Car,” “Concept Truck,” and “Most Significant Concept Vehicle.” The BUDD-e beat out three other finalists in the “Concept Truck” category, which assessed vehicles with the primary attributes of user-configurable cargo volume and weight capacity. “Most Significant Concept Vehicle” is chosen from among winners of the three other categories and is determined by the car with the highest total score.
For more details on the Concept Awards and the selection jury, please visit https://automediaregistry.org/presskit/#NACVOTY


About the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards

Founded in 2002, the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards recognize those concept vehicles that have made the strongest impact in terms of automotive design, engineering and market responsiveness. Professional automotive journalists from throughout North America, representing dozens of outlets in virtually every media segment serve as volunteer jurors to select the award winners. The awards are given to the best Production Preview Vehicle, Concept Car, Concept Truck, and Most Significant Concept Vehicle of each auto show season. To be eligible for the awards, a concept vehicle must make its North American debut during the current model year’s auto show season.

These awards are unique in that they are judged by a diverse panel of automotive journalists from throughout North America, and considered in the specific context of the North American market. By extending the review to the whole package—design, style, materials, technology, market viability and market responsiveness —and concentrating the focus on the market that the jurors know best, the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards provide truly valuable feedback to help shape the future of the automotive industry.
 

 BEFORE THE ST JOHNS CONCOURSE VW WAS IN TRAVERSE CITY SHOWING OFF THE CAR OF TOMORROW.

During the Center for Automotive Research’s annual Management Briefing Seminars, Dr. Matthias Erb, Chief Engineering Officer North American Region, Volkswagen, presented BUDD-e, Volkswagen’s electric microbus concept during the Car of Tomorrow session. Having debuted at CES® 2016 in Las Vegas, BUDD-e is the first concept car developed by the Volkswagen Group that is built on the new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) platform.

“The BUDD-e concept offers a glimpse of next-generation e-mobility, connectivity and infotainment innovations, a perfect fit to showcase during the ‘Car of Tomorrow’ session,” said Dr. Matthias Erb, Chief Engineering Officer North American Region, Volkswagen. “Built on the MEB platform, we are showing a concept but also showcasing real-world possibilities of the future.”
Completely and thoroughly networked, BUDD-e is a mobile interface which connects the vehicle with the world around it. With the BUDD-e Volkswagen has developed a vehicle that can be more thoroughly connected with its surroundings than any car before it.
The BUDD-e concept’s highlights include:



BRUCE HUBBARD
BONNIE LYNCH
J. BRAD HUBBARD