Press Releases
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles moves ahead with Autonomous Driving R&D for Mobility as a Service
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) is consistently and rapidly advancing the development and implementation of autonomous driving. “With the confirmation of the group’s supervisory board for our Autonomous Driving R&D program, we are setting the course for the future of mobility. Autonomous, electric driving will make an important contribution to urban mobility and road safety. Our vehicles are the logical first choice to apply such systems to", explains Carsten Intra, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, after today's Supervisory Board meeting of the Volkswagen Group.
Celebrating the birthday of an icon: Volkswagen launches the exclusive Golf GTI Clubsport 45 onto the market
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.
Volkswagen Group closes 2020 stronger than expected and accelerates transformation
The Volkswagen Group closed fiscal year 2020 stronger than expected despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Important strategic steps accelerated the Group’s transformation into a tech company at the same time. The Group’s effective crisis management, the rapid recovery of its largest single market China and particularly the more stable premium and financial services business were key to the strong performance and successful containment of the pandemic effects. Sales revenue amounted to EUR 222.9 billion (–11.8 percent), outperforming sales volumes (–16.4 percent). Operating profit before special items (diesel) reached a solid level of EUR 10.6 billion (–45.0 percent) despite the pandemic. The operating return on sales before special items stood at 4.8 (7.6) percent. The robust business model and rigorous working capital management produced a strong net cash flow of EUR 6.4 billion (–41.3 percent) in the Automotive Division. The net liquidity of the Automotive Division could be lifted by 25.9 percent to a very solid EUR 26.8 billion. The Board of Management and Supervisory Board are proposing an unchanged dividend of EUR 4.80 per ordinary share and EUR 4.86 per preferred share. This would take the payout ratio of 29.0 percent close to the strategic target level of 30 percent. Earnings per ordinary share were EUR 16.60 (26.60) and earnings per preferred share were EUR 16.66 (26.66).
New app for the current Golf: Football fans can always stay on the ball with “We Score”
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.
Volkswagen Group is officially reinstated as a participant of the UN Global Compact
The UN Global Compact has confirmed the reinstatement of the Volkswagen Group as a participant. After a five-year break, the Group thereby returns to the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. The main grounds for this decision was the Volkswagen Group’s completely rebuilt compliance and integrity policy as a result of the successfully concluded monitorship supervised by the US Department of Justice. The Group’s ambitious climate protection program was also welcomed positively. By 2025, the Volkswagen Group plans to cut its CO2 emissions over the life cycle of its passenger car portfolio by 30 percent compared to 2015 and aims to be climate-neutral by 2050. In 2016 Volkswagen also appointed an independent Sustainability Council.
Volkswagen Group teams up with Microsoft to accelerate the development of automated driving
Volkswagen Group further strengthens its capabilities in the development of automated driving (AD) solutions. The Group’s software company Car.Software Organisation will collaborate with Microsoft to build a cloud-based Automated Driving Platform (ADP) on Microsoft Azure and leverage its compute and data capabilities to deliver automated driving experiences even faster at global scale. With ADP running on Azure, Car.Software Organisation will increase the efficiency of the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and AD functions for passenger cars across Volkswagen Group brands. Volkswagen and Microsoft have been strategic partners on the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud since 2018, which will span all of Volkswagen's future digital services and mobility offerings.
Even more boost for the Volkswagen electric offensive: World car ID.4 now on the way to the world markets
Volkswagen’s electric offensive continues to gain momentum: Following the presales of the special edition ID.4 1ST that have already taken place, presales of additional ID.4 models will now also start by mid-February in around 30 European countries including Germany, as well as in the USA. Deliveries to customers are to begin as soon as March in in the European, Chinese and US markets.
ID.3 starts series production: The Transparent Factory in Dresden to become the home of the Volkswagen ID.
The Transparent Factory in Dresden began series production of the fully electric ID.3 today. This makes it the second production site for the ID.3 and already the fourth site in the world producing Volkswagen models based on the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB). At the same time, Volkswagen is opening a new chapter in the Saxon capital: Over the coming years, the former “Center of Future Mobility” will steadily transform into the “Home of the ID.”
Transforming old into new: Volkswagen Group Components commences battery recycling
Today, Volkswagen Group Components opened the Group’s first plant for recycling electric car batteries in Salzgitter. As pilot operation commences, the Volkswagen Group takes another committed step towards sustainable end-to-end responsibility for the entire value chain of the electric vehicle battery. The aim is the industrialised recovery of valuable raw materials such as lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt in a closed loop together with aluminium, copper and plastics, achieving a recycling rate of more than 90% over the long term.
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