Volkswagen AG  will add 800 jobs at its only U.S. plant, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to increase production of the small Passat sedan, the company said on Thursday.

Volkswagen has not said how much production will increase at the plant, but has said that by next year it will produce 170,000 Passats at its U.S. plant, which opened in May 2011.

The 800 new hires will be added to the plant's existing workforce of 2,200 Volkswagen workers and another 500 who work for a firm called Aerotek.

In the first two months of the year, Volkswagen sold 14,500 Passat sedans.