Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) signed a new Master Research Agreement with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) to continue the research partnership at the Volkswagen Innovation Hub in Knoxville through 2028. The partnership currently supports 27 active research projects and has already produced 15 publications and multiple pending patents.

Researchers at the Innovation Hub in Knoxville are focused on bringing more materials and power electronics solutions to Volkswagen Group products to support greater sustainability in mobility.

Researchers at the Innovation Hub work as full-time employees of VWGoA, but share time with UTK to work on their PhD dissertations. Signing this new Master Research Agreement allows that research to advance and expand, and continues this unique opportunity for PhD candidates.

“Partnering with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for research has accelerated Volkswagen Group’s ability to bring practical innovations to our products. With this extension, we’ll be able to continue this invaluable research and bring more materials and power electronics solutions for more sustainable mobility. UTK has been an invaluable partner, bringing incredible research talent with an interest in the automotive industry and sustainability.

—Chuhee Lee, vice president of mobility design and technology at Volkswagen Group Innovation Center California

In 2018, Volkswagen Group of America and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville signed the first five-year Master Research Agreement, with the Volkswagen Innovation Hub in Knoxville opening two years later in January 2020. VWGoA and UTK have since expanded the project to include 10 new joint research projects and additional PhD fellowship and internship positions.