Volkswagen creates new e-mobility division to oversee electric future

Volkswagen has created a new company division devoted to its e-mobility strategy, headed by its former head of production and logistics, Thomas Ulbrich. 

Ulbrich takes charge of the new division from 1 February and is tasked with overseeing Volkswagen's transition to electric power, including the implementation of its new MEB platform. 

His successor as head of production and logistics is Andreas Tostmann, who moves from sister company Seat, where he had been executive vice president of production. 

Volkswagen’s e-mobility strategy will roll out the MEB platform in 2020 with the electric ID hatchback and ID Crozz SUV - production versions of recently revealed concepts. 

Ulbrich’s responsibilities will include ensuring these cars’ transition to production models runs successfully, and it’s likely that projects such as Ionity - a consortium of manufacturers including Volkswagen rolling out an EV fast charger network across Europe - will also fall under the new e-mobility board member’s remit. 

Having joined VW in 1989, Ulbrich’s CV contains a variety of logistical and production-related directorships, having held his most recent role since 2014, following a four-year stint as technical executive vice president of Volkswagen’s Chinese arm.