China, the world's largest automotive and electric vehicle market, not surprisingly, is to play a key role in the Volkswagen group’s global transformation and its accompanying decarbonisation program. While this year will see an intensified roll-out of new energy models, Volkswagen Group China aims to produce more than half of the group’s global objective of 22 million BEVs by 2028. To speed up its e-offensive, it will also launch a new joint venture in charging infrastructure.

Meanwhile, in the area of future technologies, Volkswagen Group China is combining its research power, with Volkswagen brand, Audi and Group R&D working together within the new ONE R&D structure.

According to Dr. Herbert Diess, chairman of the Board of Management, Volkswagen AG, said: “We are fulfilling our promises, not only to comply with the new regulations in China, but also to reduce the auto industry’s impact on our society through clean mobility and better production processes. For this plan, China is of great importance.”

Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, said: “Volkswagen Group China is going full-scale electric in 2019. We will be offering 14 NEV models in China this year – providing customers with unprecedented choice. With the first two models based on the MEB platform launching next year and our investment in digitalisation, we and our partners have laid the foundation to redefine what mobility means in China, and transform it.”

China powers VW Group’s electrification drive
Volkswagen Group aims to produce 11.6 million BEVs in China by 2028, more than half the group’s global objective of 22 million. Initiatives with all three Chinese vehicle production joint ventures – FAW-Volkswagen, SAIC Volkswagen and JAC Volkswagen – will enable this target to be reached.

With construction progressing on MEB platforms at SAIC Volkswagen in Anting and FAW-Volkswagen in Foshan, Volkswagen will have the technical capacity to produce an additional 600,000 pure electric vehicles a year in China when the two plants become operational next year. In addition, the JAC Volkswagen joint venture is jointly working on its own e-car platform together with SEAT for the production of smaller NEVs.

The Group is backing this up with strong efforts to lower the ecological footprint of its 33 production plants in China. Last year alone, CO₂ emissions from its China production activities were slashed by 13%, saving 390,000 tons of CO₂.

VW is also to set up a new charging joint venture that will result in greater freedom and recharging convenience for the rapidly growing number Chinese NEV owners during their travels. The partnership with Star Charge, FAW and JAC will offer private charging wall boxes from the end of this year and a wide network of public charging.