All Press Releases
This is an overview of press releases of the Volkswagen Group. To stay informed, users can subscribe to the press releases of Volkswagen Group via e-mail service.
Press ReleaseArchive
Volkswagen Group commences climate-friendly MEB production at Foshan and Anting plants
Volkswagen Group has entered a new era of e-mobility in China with the premiere just three weeks ago of the first two China-specific models from the completely new, electric-only ID. family – FAW-Volkswagen’s ID.4 CROZZ and SAIC VOLKSWAGEN’s ID.4 X – built on the innovative MEB platform. With market entry in early 2021, production of these two models has already started at MEB facilities in Foshan and Anting, which together have a combined total planned annual capacity of 600,000 units. This will enable the Group to increase the share of electric vehicles in its product portfolio to 35% by 2025. By 2023, Volkswagen will offer eight models of the ID. Family in China, the world’s largest NEV market which plays a crucial role in the Group’s global e-mobility strategy.
Press ReleaseArchive
Volkswagen commissions green battery logistics system for ID.3 and ID.4
The Volkswagen Group is making battery shipment for its ID.3 and ID.4 electric vehicles even more environmentally compatible and efficient. At the Zwickau plant today, the final link in a green logistics chain extending from Poland via Brunswick to the plant in Saxony was commissioned. This is a fully automated system for unloading batteries from incoming trains. The system will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by some 11,000 tonnes per year, corresponding to the CO₂ emissions of a medium-sized village with about 1,000 inhabitants. “With this green and efficient logistics chain, we are making a key contribution to reducing emissions within the Group and to the delivery of the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4 with a neutral carbon balance,” says Thomas Zernechel, Head of Volkswagen Group Logistics.
Press Release
Volkswagen Group Components delivers essential components for Volkswagen’s ID.4
Volkswagen Group Components is the central supplier for the first models of the new Volkswagen ID. family and numerous other Group brand models based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB). Volkswagen Group Components contributes around 40% of the overall added value of the first fully electric SUV by the Volkswagen brand, the world e-car ID.4. That’s around 10 percentage points more than a comparable model with conventional drive.
Press ReleaseArchive
Fuel from waste: Volkswagen powers car freighters with used oil from restaurants
The Volkswagen Group continues to force the pace of climate protection: in future, Volkswagen Group Logistics will be using certified fuel from vegetable residues for certain new car shipments via marine routes. The fuel is produced from materials such as used oil from restaurants and the food industry. The first car freighter was re-fuelled for the first time with this oil in mid-November 2020 and a second ship is due to follow at the beginning of 2021. “We are the first automaker to make widespread use of this fuel. This way, we reuse waste oil in an environmentally compatible way. With 85 percent lower CO₂ emissions than with conventional fossil fuels, the contribution to climate protection is enormous,” says Thomas Zernechel, Head of Volkswagen Group Logistics.
Press Release
Volkswagen engages in improving working conditions in artisanal cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo
As a responsible company, Volkswagen is actively engaging in improving artisanal cobalt mining conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the living conditions for people in the surrounding communities. Cobalt is an important raw material for the production of electric vehicle batteries. Artisanal mining involves risks to the environment and people. Volkswagen has joined the “Cobalt for Development” initiative and is thus supporting efforts to minimize these risks.
Press Release
Production of electric drives begins in China
Volkswagen Group Components reinforces its position as a key supplier of central electric vehicle components for the brands and joint ventures of the Volkswagen Group in the most important market for electric mobility. With immediate effect, the Chinese components factory in Tianjin will be producing the APP 310 drive on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB). This component will be used in the Volkswagen ID.4 variants produced by the joint venture partners FAW (ID.4 CROZZ) and SAIC (ID.4 X). The Group’s future MEB models for China will also be supplied locally. The main factory for electric drives at Volkswagen Group Components in Kassel produces the APP 310 motor for current and future MEB models in Europe and North America.
Press ReleaseArchive
Volkswagen Group raises investments in future technologies to EUR 73 billion
The Volkswagen Group is pressing ahead with its transformation into a digital mobility company. As decided in Planning Round 69, the Group will spend around EUR 73 billion on electrification, hybrid powertrains and digital technology over the next five years. This was announced following today’s Supervisory Board meeting. Investments in Capex and R&D for future technologies will be raised to 50 percent from 40 percent of the Group’s total investments of around EUR 150 billion. Investments in digitalization will double to EUR 27 billion by mid-decade, reflecting the Group’s strong focus on building up software capabilities. Approximately EUR 35 billion will be spent on battery-electric vehicles. A further approximately EUR 11 billion has been earmarked for the development of hybrid vehicles of existing models.
Press ReleaseArchive
Volkswagen Group and Greece to create model island for climate-neutral mobility
The Volkswagen Group and Greece have agreed to establish a groundbreaking mobility system on the Mediterranean island of Astypalea. To that end, the current transport system on the island will transition to electric vehicles and renewable power generation. In the long run, Astypalea will become a model island for climate-neutral mobility. A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed in Wolfsburg and Athen today by Konstantinos Fragogiannis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, and Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen Group. New mobility services such as vehicle sharing or ridesharing will help reduce and optimize traffic. Energy will be primarily generated from local green power sources such as solar and wind. The project initially will run for six years.
Press Release
Volkswagen Group returns to profitability
The Volkswagen Group’s business was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in first nine months of 2020, but recovered noticeably in the third quarter. This means that the declines in deliveries, sales revenue and profit as of the end of September were significantly more moderate than at the half-year mark. The countermeasures initiated worldwide to cut costs, secure liquidity and decrease the funds tied up in working capital had as much of an impact as the continuing improvements in the situation in key sales markets. Deliveries to customers in the first nine months of 2020 fell by 18.7 percent year-on-year, to 6.5 (8.0) million vehicles. As a result, sales revenue, too, decreased by 16.7 percent to EUR 155.5 (186.6) billion. Thanks to a return to a clearly positive result in the third quarter, the operating result before special items amounted to EUR 2.4 (14.8) billion as of the end of September. The significant year-on-year decrease was primarily attributable to the decline in the sales volume due to the sharp fall in customer demand, especially in the second quarter. Other factors were negative effects of the fair value measurement of derivatives to which hedge accounting is not applied and exchange-rate effects. They were set against a non-cash gain on the contribution of Autonomous Intelligent Driving (AID) into the autonomous driving joint venture with Ford. Special items relating to diesel weighed on the operating profit with EUR –0.7 (–1.3) billion. Earnings before tax decreased to EUR 2.3 (14.6) billion, marking a clear return to positive territory.
Automotive Division: Net cash flow turns positive again, significant increase in net liquidity
Press Release
TRATON and Hino start E-Mobility Joint Venture
TRATON SE (TRATON) and Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) have signed a joint venture agreement for e-mobility in order to plan and provide e-mobility products that will be based on the two companies’ strategic partnership to offer customers the highest value. TRATON and Hino will combine their unique strengths to consequently develop electric vehicles including battery electric vehicles (BEV), fuel cell vehicles (FCV), and relevant components as well as creating common EV platforms including software and interfaces. They will form a team of advanced specialists from both companies and launch activities in Södertälje (Sweden) and in a second step in Tokyo (Japan). TRATON and Hino will team up to shorten lead times for future e-mobility products with battery and fuel cell technology. The two companies are convinced that both technologies will be needed in the future.