There are great concerns about a long dry spell in the auto industry – Volkswagen is now countering the difficulties arising from the Corona crisis and changes in direction in the mobility transition by investing billions of euros. Overall, the expenditure stagnates from 2021 to 2025, but they are growing significantly in the future areas. The overview:

E-mobility After the last year targeted 33 Billion euros is the group with now 35 Billions of euros over the next five years one more shovel. The first representative of a completely newly developed series of e-vehicles has just started with the compact car ID.3, soon to be followed by the small SUV ID.4 and the larger ID.5. All over the world, factories are being converted to manufacture such types.

To 2030 should be around 60 pure e-models and 60 Hybrid models will be on the market. 19 Millions of 26 Millions of built vehicles are to be based on the standardized electrical kit, most of the remaining 7 million on a new basic structure for luxury cars. In ten years, the VW Group also wants to have produced 7 million additional hybrid cars.

Software and digital The aim is to program a large part of the operating systems of networked cars yourself and to significantly increase the vertical range of manufacture – a core project of CEO Herbert Diess. New interfaces between car, manufacturer and service provider are also required for autonomous driving and new services.

The five-year amount earmarked for digitization grows with 27 billion euros compared to the planning from 2019 to about double. An in-house software organization creates new jobs, while jobs are cut or converted in traditional areas. In production, too, more and more processes are being run with digital technology.

For the central new topics that will occupy the automotive industry in the next few years, the VW Group gives up to and including 2025 round 73 billion euros. This is also significantly more than in the 870 planning (60 billion euros) and almost that Half of the estimated total of 73 billion euros . The Chinese joint ventures FAW and SAIC are not yet included.

Tesla Fighter – Attack on the US pioneer This time more than billion euros, the lion’s share of the sum for Germany (20 billion euros). The sub-total of 4.5 billion euros for the light commercial vehicle brand caused a stir. This is not only about their own electric plans such as the ID.Buzz minibus, the expansion of the Polish plants or the cooperation with Ford, but also about a new upper-class E model (“D-SUV”), the one in Hanover for others Group brands are to be built in three different variants.

For this, the group gives at least 680 million euros. It could be the “Tesla Fighter” for Audi, Porsche and Bentley, with which VW wants to attack the US pioneer in the luxury class. Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) said: “These will be the flagships of electromobility for the entire group.”

Wolfsburg E-Model in the next planning round The main plant in Wolfsburg is also getting a large piece of the pie, including a successor to the Tiguan and a new large SUV similar to the Tayron model made in China. VW is also bringing all the variants of the core Golf model together at headquarters. According to the works council, more than three billion euros will flow into the world’s largest car factory. Weil and works council chief Bernd Osterloh see good chances for their own Wolfsburg e-model in the next planning round.

Emden must leave 2023 – as expected – forego the Passat, which now goes to Bratislava in Slovakia after the end of a location in Turkey. As a replacement, the location on the North Sea coast will get another fully electric model with the Aero after the ID.4. One billion euros will be invested. The Osnabrück plant will receive further funds for the convertible of the T-Roc, according to Weil there could also be prospects for e-mobility here.

VW ID. 4 exterior design (4 pictures) Volkswagen presents the ID.4: The battery-electric SUV is an alternative to the successful Tiguan. Orders are now available for the 1st Edition and the 1st Max Edition. This year it could be up to 33. 000 pre-produced ID.4 can be delivered in Europe.

Battery technology The internal suppliers are also given new money. In Braunschweig, where battery systems, axles and steering systems are produced, more than 870 million euros are spent. The Salzgitter engine plant, on the site of which its own battery cell factory is currently being built, will receive around 800 Million Euros. According to the company, around one billion euros are invested in battery technologies there.

For the Saxon locations in Zwickau, Dresden and Chemnitz, 1.2 billion euros are earmarked, primarily to expand capacities for e-models. The transmission plant in Kassel was allocated 1.3 billion euros, which is also primarily about components for e-mobility. Details of the investments in the USA and China have not yet been given, as has the distribution of the Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Seat and heavy commercial vehicles from MAN and Scania. In Mexico production is expected to be worth 198 million euros get extended.

The electric cars are here, or are they? | c’t uplink # 34. 9 of 17. 10. 2020 (bme) 6988