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The Volkswagen Group presented its technology roadmap for batteries and charging up to 2030 today on its first Power Day. The goal of the roadmap is to significantly reduce the complexity and cost of the battery in order to make the electric car attractive and viable for as many people as possible. At the same time, the Group is aiming to secure the supply of battery cells beyond 2025. In Europe alone, six gigafactories with a total production capacity of 240 GWh are to be established by the end of the decade. Volkswagen is also vigorously pursuing expansion of the public fast-charging network globally. With this in mind, cooperations have been agreed in Europe with the energy companies BP (Great Britain), Iberdrola (Spain) and Enel (Italy).

“E-mobility has become core business for us. We are now systematically integrating additional stages in the value chain. We secure a long-term pole position in the race for the best battery and best customer experience in the age of zero emission mobility”, says Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Group. Cross-brand responsibility for this technology roadmap will lie with Volkswagen Group Components led by Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group for Technology, and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.

Volkswagen is targeting a substantial increase in cell production in Europe

The Group is pushing ahead at full speed with the development of production capacities in Europe in order to meet the increasing demand for battery cells. “Together with partners, we want to have a total of six cell factories up and running in Europe by 2030 thus guaranteeing security of supply”, explains Thomas Schmall. The new factories are expected to produce cells with a total energy value of 240 GWh per year by the time they are finally completed. Volkswagen is therefore actively contributing to meet the targets of the European Union’s Green Deal. The first two factories will operate in the Swedish city of Skellefteå and in Salzgitter. In response to increased demand, Volkswagen has decided to refocus the previous plan in relation to cell production and concentrate production of its premium cells in the Swedish gigafactory “Northvolt Ett” in Skellefteå in collaboration with Northvolt. The production of these cells is set to commence in 2023 and will be expanded gradually to an annual capacity of up to 40 GWh. 

The gigafactory currently operated by Volkswagen in Salzgitter will produce the unified cell for the high-volume segment from 2025 and develop innovations in process, design and chemistry. Production capacity of up to 40 GWh per year is also planned for Salzgitter. This refocusing will deliver enhanced economies of scale and reduce the complexity of production. Both gigafactories will be powered with electricity from renewable energy sources. Potential sites and partners are currently being considered for the other factories.

New unified cell will deliver enormous cost savings from 2023

Volkswagen is striving to make significant advances with the battery system including all of its components right through to the cell. “We aim to reduce the cost and complexity of the battery and at the same time increase its range and performance”, says Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board Member for Technology. “This will finally make e-mobility affordable and the dominant drive technology.” Aside from the planned in-house production, significant cost benefits are expected primarily thanks to the new unified cell. It is set to be launched as of 2023 and will be installed across brands in up to 80 percent of all electric vehicles in the Group in 2030. Further savings will be delivered by optimising the cell type, deploying innovative production methods as well as consistent recycling. Volkswagen is thus aiming to gradually reduce battery costs in the entry-level segment by up to 50 percent and in the volume segment by up to 30 percent. “We will use our economies of scale to the benefit of our customers when it comes to the battery too. On average, we will drive down the cost of battery systems to significantly below €100 per kilowatt hour. This will finally make e-mobility affordable and the dominant drive technology”, says Thomas Schmall.

Integration of the value chain

In addition to the unified cell and the consistent expansion of in-house production, the Group’s new technology roadmap will also focus on integrating more steps along the value chain all the way through to industrial recycling. Together with selected strategic partners, Volkswagen therefore wants to secure the long-term supply of cells for its e-offensive. Advances in storage capacity and fast-charging capability are expected in addition to cost benefits. The new prismatic unified cell also offers the best conditions for the transition to the solid state cell – the next quantum leap in battery technology, which Volkswagen anticipates for the middle of the decade. The Group focuses consistently on strategic partnerships and efficient use of resources both for batteries and for charging. The Group is adhering to its strategic financial targets and continues to aim for a capex ratio of around 6 percent by 2025 and an annual clean net cash flow of more than €10 billion in its core automotive business. 

Expanding the global fast-charging network: Partnerships with BP, Iberdrola and Enel 

Volkswagen’s battery offensive is being accompanied by a large-scale expansion of the fast-charging network. Along with its partners, the company intends to operate about 18,000 public fast-charging points in Europe by 2025. This represents a five-fold expansion of the fast-charging network compared to today and corresponds to about one third of the total demand predicted on the continent for 2025. 

This will be done through a series of strategic partnerships in addition to the joint venture IONITY. Volkswagen wants to establish about 8,000 fast-charging points throughout Europe together with BP. The fast-chargers with a charging capacity of 150 kW will be installed at a total of 4,000 BP and ARAL service stations, with the majority of these in Germany and Great Britain. In cooperation with Iberdrola, Volkswagen will cover main traffic routes in Spain. In Italy, Volkswagen wants to collaborate with Enel to establish the fast-charging network both along motorways and in urban areas. Volkswagen will invest about €400 million in the European programme as a whole by 2025, with further investments being borne by external partners.

Volkswagen is expanding the public fast-charging network in the US and China too. Electrify America is planning around 3,500 fast-charging points in North America by the end of the year. In China, a total of 17,000 fast-charging points are being targeted by Volkswagen by 2025 through the CAMS joint venture. 

Volkswagen is making the electric car part of the energy system

Volkswagen intends to integrate the electric car in private, commercial and public energy systems in the future. This will allow green electricity from the solar energy system to be stored in the vehicle and fed back into the home network if needed. Not only will customers be more independent of the public power grid, they will also save money and reduce CO2emissions. Models based on Volkswagen’s own MEB platform will support this technology from 2022. Volkswagen will also offer a complete package with all modules and digital services – from the bidirectional wall box to energy management. The technology is soon to be used also on a larger scale – for example in residential buildings, businesses or in the general power grid.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Wouldn’t it be great to never again miss a goal scored by your beloved football team – even when you’re driving? This dream scenario for many football fans is now a reality in all new Golf from the 2020 model year onwards: The free “We Score” app delivers live football updates into the vehicle’s cockpit! Users can pre-set three clubs and one national team, and follow their favourites in all competitions. Along with live scores – which football fans will recognise from smartphone apps – standings and football news are also displayed in the app. All this information can also be read out using the “text-to-speech” function.

The new “We Score” In-Car app is the latest addition to the Volkswagen digital family in the new Golf: Customers can now enjoy news, tables, and the latest scores from the footballing world, even while they are at the wheel. Users can set three clubs and one national team as favourites. A live ticker is also available during matches. What’s more, customers need never miss another goal while on the road, thanks to push notifications of their favourite teams’ live results; these are displayed in such a way that they do not distract the driver from the road ahead. A live ticker gives real-time match updates, and the table can be easily brought up to show the latest standings.

The new “We Score” app covers the top two divisions and the main cup competition of the relevant country. In Germany the 3. Liga is also available. The Europa League and Champions League are supported, in addition of course to the European Championships which have been postponed to this summer – with Volkswagen’s commitment to football reaffirmed as a mobility partner for UEFA EURO 2020.

In-Car Shop

“We Score” is easy to access via the infotainment system in the Golf. After a single registration the vehicle app can be downloaded. The “We Score” app is supported by the “Discover Pro” and “Discover Media” infotainment systems. Alongside the “We Score” and “Amazon Alexa” services, customers can also use the In-Car Shop to subscribe to data plans which allow them to use streaming services or a Wi-Fi hotspot. The “We Connect Plus” extension is also easy to order in the In-Car Shop. Further products are in the pipeline.

Volkswagen as an official mobility partner of the DFB

Volkswagen demonstrates its commitment to football in a variety of ways, not least as an official mobility partner to the German Football Association (DFB). True to its motto, “Football means all of us”, the company supports Germany’s favourite sport from the grassroots to the elite: it is not only about focusing on the national teams, but on football itself as the connecting link between Volkswagen and popular sport.

At an international level, Volkswagen is a mobility partner of UEFA national team tournaments, including the European Championships which will take place this summer. Volkswagen is also supporting seven teams which have qualified for the tournament: Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, and Russia.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen is giving a first design preview of Project Trinity: The electrically powered sedan is to be built in Wolfsburg from 2026 and will set new standards in terms of range, charging speed and digitization – and will be able to drive highly automated according to Level 4.

The project name Trinity is derived from the Latin “trinitas” and stands for the tri-unity. Accordingly, Trinity stands for three crucial themes: a newly developed electronics platform with state-of-the-art software, the simplification of the supply structure, and fully networked and intelligent production at the main plant in Wolfsburg.

“Trinity is a sort of crystallization point for our ACCELERATE strategy, a lighthouse project, our software dream car,” says Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of the Volkswagen brand.The newly developed vehicle architecture will set standards in terms of range, charging speed (“charging as fast as refueling”) and digitalization.

In addition, Trinity will make autonomous driving in the volume segment possible for many people. By the planned start of series production in 2026, Trinity will already reach Level 2+ and be technically ready for Level 4. “We are using our economies of scale to make autonomous driving available to many people and to build a learning neural network. In this way, we are creating the conditions for the continuous exchange of data from our vehicle fleet – for example, on the traffic situation, on obstacles or on accidents,” says Ralf Brandstätter. Trinity thus gives people time and saves them stress. After a long highway trip, you arrive at your destination relaxed. Because you have been driven by a chauffeur to your vacation or to your home after work. “Trinity therefore becomes a kind of 'time machine' for our customers,” says Ralf Brandstätter.

With the production of the series version, the Wolfsburg plant will become a showcase for state-of-the-art, intelligent and fully networked production processes. “We will completely rethink the way we build cars and introduce revolutionary approaches. Digitalization, automation and lightweight construction play an important role here,” says Ralf Brandstätter.

Future vehicle models such as Trinity will be produced with considerably fewer variants, and the hardware will be largely standardized. The cars will then have virtually everything on board and customers will be able to activate desired functions “on demand” at any time via the digital ecosystem in the car. This will significantly reduce complexity in production.

By developing the automobile into a software-based product, Volkswagen is creating the conditions for new, data-based business models. Entry barriers to individual mobility are to be lowered while at the same time offering even more attractive usage packages. Volkswagen intends to generate additional revenue in the usage phase – for charging and energy services, for software-based functions that customers can book as needed, or for automated driving. “In the future, the individual configuration of the vehicle will no longer be determined by the hardware at the time of purchase. Instead, customers will be able to add functions on demand at any time via the digital ecosystem in the car,” says Ralf Brandstätter.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

In the summer of 1976, Volkswagen launched a distinctively sporty Golf onto the market: the GTI. At that time no one at Volkswagen had any idea that the Golf GTI would eventually become the world’s most successful compact sports car. But that is exactly what happened – from production of the 5,000 vehicles that were originally planned to well in excess of 2.3 million today. Now Volkswagen is marking the 45th birthday of this iconic car with an anniversary model: the Golf GTI Clubsport 45 – an exclusive edition of the 221 kW/300 PS Golf GTI Clubsport. Extensive individualisation makes the Clubsport 45 a ready-made collector’s item, even as new. First presales will begin in selected European countries on 1 March. Price in Germany: from 47,790 euros.

Even the “standard” Golf GTI Clubsport is technically distinct from the classic Golf GTI, with features including a 55 PS turbocharged engine (TSI) and the Special driving mode for race tracks. Visual highlights of the Clubsport include larger air intakes (delivering more oxygen to the TSI), a specially designed open roof spoiler to allow improved airflow (greater downforce), and a separate sport exhaust system.

The Clubsport 45 is ready to take to the road with more individual customisation than ever before. The exterior boasts a striking black roof complete with black roof spoiler, in homage to the black-framed rear window of the first Golf GTI. With the Race package, which is available as standard and exclusive to the Golf GTI Clubsport 45, equipment includes 19-inch Scottsdale alloy wheels in a high-gloss black finish, with a narrow accent pinstripe detail in Tornado Red. The Race package also includes a sport exhaust system and removal of the Vmax limiter (otherwise top speed is limited to 250 km/h). Lettering on the side sill panel and the “45” added to the lettering on the boot lid underpin the impression of dynamism. The Clubsport 45 series also features IQ.Light LED matrix headlights with the red trim strip which is included on all GTIs.

The interior of the anniversary model also showcases classic GTI insignia. Embellishments include GTI lettering on the backrests of the front premium sport seats. A “45” adds character to the multi-function sport steering wheel at the centre spoke (at 6 o’clock).

With the new Golf GTI Clubsport 45, Volkswagen is adding a new chapter to the high-performance GTI versions released: The original Golf GTI Clubsport was launched in 2016, on the 40th birthday of the cult sports car. That first member of the Clubsport series achieved 195 kW (265 PS) and could temporarily deliver 213 kW (290 PS) using a boost function. That same year also saw the arrival of the Golf GTI Clubsport S, which had a constantly attainable maximum performance of 228 kW (310 PS). In autumn 2020 Volkswagen released the new Golf GTI Clubsport, a car which featured the first-ever instance of the standard electromechanical front-axle locking differential control being integrated into the driving dynamics manager network – as does the newly launched Clubsport 45. This intelligent connection sets a new benchmark in driving dynamics.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com