Volkswagen Stories May 4
Volkswagen is not starting its electric vehicle push in a big way until next year, but it is already securing its battery supplies in order to be able to build those new EVs in volume.
After announcing that it already awarded $25 billion in battery cell contracts, the German automaker announced this week that it has now doubled the amount to about $48 billion. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories April 12
Volkswagen is preparing a major electric vehicle effort with its new MEB platform supporting a series of new models starting in 2020.
Now, the German automaker announced this week that it contracted its Braunschweig plant to produce ‘up to 500,000 EV battery packs per year.’ expand full story
Volkswagen Stories March 13
As we discussed in the latest episode of the Electrek Podcast, Volkswagen’s electric car efforts mostly consist of press releases and concept vehicles at this time, but they seem quite serious about it based on their investments.
Today, the company unveiled its electric vehicle production plans with 16 production sites and a massive ~$25 billion investment in battery cell contracts. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories February 19
Over the last year, Volkswagen has been unveiling a series of electric vehicle concepts that serve as the basis of its new generation of production electric vehicles coming in 2020.
Today, VW released the first images of its latest EV concept – an all-electric sedan with autonomous driving capability. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories February 15
Volkswagen’s design head Klaus Bischoff has said that the company is using Apple’s approach to guide future electric car designs beyond the I.D. concept seen above.
Bischoff said that there was a purity, clarity and significance to Apple’s designs …
Volkswagen Stories January 31
Volkswagen is investing heavily in electric vehicles after slowing down its diesel program following the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.
The German automaker now says that its Zwickau factory in Saxony, Germany is going to be a major hub for the production of its next-generation electric cars. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories December 11, 2017
Volkswagen, which was at the center of the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal that exposed diesel engines as not being as clean as some automakers led regulators to believe, is now suggesting a phase-out of the huge diesel subsidies offered in Europe. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories November 16, 2017
Volkswagen updated its electric vehicle effort in China this week with the announcement of a new investment schedule of $12 billion over the next 7 years with its joint-venture partner. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories November 7, 2017
Volkswagen has been heavily investing in batteries in order to support its planned ramp-up of electric vehicle production starting next year.
Their efforts have so far been focused on actual battery production and securing the rarer raw materials needed, like cobalt, but they are also exploring more future-oriented options to improve batteries at the technological level.
Today, VW is announcing a partnership with Google to use quantum computers to improve electric car batteries and others parts of the future of transportation, like traffic optimization and new machine learning processes. expand full story
Volkswagen Stories October 19, 2017
Volkswagen will challenge Pike’s Peak with a purpose-built electric racecar
Volkswagen has been making a lot of noise about electric cars lately. Announcing huge investments and new concept models, trying to recover their reputation after the dieselgate scandal. Its newest electric push comes from somewhere new: racing. While VW group has been involved in electrified racing before, with the Audi Formula E team and with several wins from Audi’s retired hybrid Le Mans car, the Volkswagen brand hasn’t yet undertaken electric racing on their own.
This changes next year, when Volkswagen will enter a car into the famous – and difficult – Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb. Details are light on VW’s entry, all we have to go on so far is a silhouette – pictured above – and a promise of all-wheel-drive. But it’s clear that VW are going after the electric prototype record – 8:57.118 by Rhys Millen in the Drive eO PP03. That car had over a megawatt of power available (1367hp), so expect VW’s entry to have similar horsepower if it wants any chance of getting that record.
