Volkswagen of America parted ways with Saad Chehab after just nine months. His successor will be the sixth marketing chief in a decade.

VW cited its suppliers and the state of the market as reasons for extending its U.S. plant's shutdown. Toyota plans a slow ramp-up. 

The plant, which makes the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport crossovers and the Passat sedan, has been shut down since March 21.

More automakers are stopping production at their U.S. plants to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

While cost, range, charging infrastructure and consumer apathy remain barriers to EV sales, those obstacles are weakening as battery technology improves and grows cheaper and charging infrastructure expands, said Audi of America's head of electrification, Cody Thacker.

Duncan Movassaghi will take over as VW brand's sales and marketing head in the U.S. He joined VW of America from Skoda in 2018.

Audi said the brand would evaluate auto shows to determine if they are the best platform for premieres of upcoming models.

The project, at the base of Mount Fuji, is being championed by CEO Akio Toyoda. Groundbreaking is planned for 2021.

The Volkswagen ID Space Vizzion is a wagon-shaped concept featuring an all-digital cockpit, interactive lighting and potential all-wheel drive.

VW plans to begin production of the ID4 electric crossover at its U.S. factory in 2022 and will add a plant to assemble battery packs.

The pricing plan for the ID4 crossover, which launches in the U.S. next year, ignores the company's recent past. If Volkswagen wants to atone for its diesel-rigging scandal, its first battery-electric vehicle needs to be much cheaper.

The veteran executive will focus on VW's North American production plants, its engineering facilities and improving quality, sources said.

Johan de Nysschen, who was ousted as head of Cadillac last year and who previously served as head of Infiniti and Audi of America, will assume the new role on Oct. 1.

The Honda e, Porsche Taycan Turbo and Volkswagen ID3 were among the Frankfurt auto show hits, as selected by reporter Larry P. Vellequette. There were misses, too.

VW is basing its electric makeover on a simple mantra: Bring what it calls carbon-neutral mobility to the global mass market at an affordable — yet still profitable — price.