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At the SEAT & CUPRA battery system assembly plant, every battery goes on an electrifying trip: from the assembly of its components to its installation in the car it will power

The TRATON GROUP successfully placed its debut Green Bond on the capital market with a volume of €500 million, a maturity of 5.5 years, and a fixed coupon of 3.875%.

The Audi Group performed solidly in the first quarter of 2026, a period marked by geopolitical and economic turbulence. Despite the global decline in the automotive market, the company increased its deliveries in Germany and Europe. While deliveries of battery-electric vehicles declined slightly overall, partly due to changes in subsidy policies, Audi-brand plug-in hybrids saw year-on-year growth of approximately 160 percent. In the first three months of the year, revenue reached 14.2 billion euros, operating profit rose to 588 million euros, and net cash flow stood at 883 million euros.

The Brand Group Core (BGC), the organizational entity combining the volume brands of the Volkswagen Group, closed the first quarter of 2026 with an operating result of 1.54 billion euros. Sales ran at 34.9 billion euros, and the operating margin was 4.4%. Compared with the prior-year period, unit sales rose moderately to 1.23 million vehicles. The development of results across all the brands of the Brand Group Core was buoyed by optimized product costs and consistent cost management. The negative impact of lower volumes in China and the USA was compensated for – bearing witness to sustained progress with efficiency measures.

As expected, the TRATON GROUP got off to a slow start to 2026, yet anticipates improved business performance in the coming quarters due to an increase in incoming orders and confirms its full-year forecast. While unit sales dropped by 6% to 68,600 vehicles (3M 2025: 73,000 vehicles) in the first quarter of 2026, as reported, the decline in sales revenue was more moderate, decreasing by 4% to €10.2 billion (3M 2025: €10.6 billion). With a share of 22% (3M 2025: 21%) of total sales revenue, the Vehicle Services business contributed positively to business performance. Incoming orders rose significantly by 18% to 87,800 vehicles (3M 2025: 74,300 vehicles) in the first quarter. As a result, the book-to-bill ratio increased to 1.3 (1.0).

Audi continues to gain speed in China. At the Auto China motor show in Beijing, the company is showcasing a comprehensive model portfolio that is more closely tailored than ever to the needs of Chinese customers. One highlight is the premiere of the electric AUDI E7X – the second production model developed for China by the AUDI brand. The four rings are also expanding their model initiative with the locally produced Audi A6L and Audi A6L e-tron, equipped with technologies designed specifically for the Chinese market. With its two partners, FAW and SAIC, and two strong brands, Audi is addressing diverse target groups. The four rings deliver “Vorsprung durch Technik” and premium products across different drive types, while the sister brand AUDI focuses on connected electric vehicles for highly tech-savvy customers. As part of the deepening collaboration between Audi and SAIC, the two partners have signed a strategic agreement to develop a new generation of AUDI models for China.

Wolfsburg – Volkswagen has developed a new full hybrid drive that combines temporary electric driving with high efficiency and a long range. The new drive system is scheduled to be used in the Golf Hybrid1 and T-Roc Hybrid1 from the fourth quarter of the year. The new hybrid models are not dependent on charging cables and charging infrastructure: the energy for the electric drive phases is recovered on board these Volkswagen models by means of recuperation and using a turbocharged petrol engine in combination with a generator. The new full hybrid system will in future be offered in two output levels and offers reduced fuel consumption compared with a mild hybrid drive. Volkswagen will present the details of the new drive system in the Austrian capital Vienna as part of the International Vienna Motor Symposium (22 to 24 April 2026).

As expected, the TRATON GROUP got off to a slow start to 2026. According to preliminary data, a total of 68,600 vehicles were delivered across the TRATON brands in the first quarter of 2026, down 6% on the prior-year quarter. By contrast, unit sales of all-electric vehicles increased by 38%.

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG delivered a total of 60,991 vehicles to customers worldwide in the first quarter of the year (previous year: 71,470), representing a decline of 15 per cent. Key reasons include the end of production of the combustion-engined 718 model, the strong ramp‑up phase of the all‑electric Macan in the same period of the year before, and the discontinuation of tax incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States.

MOIA America, LLC, a Volkswagen Group company working on autonomous mobility technology, and Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), today announced the start of on-road validation testing of purpose-built, autonomous ID. Buzz vehicles in Los Angeles, marking the next phase of their strategic partnership introduced last year.