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Battery
Battery
Archive
Volkswagen develops and produces key components for EVs in-house. At the same time, we collaborate with globally leading automotive suppliers at both Group and brand level to build the best possible cars for our customers.
Battery cells play a special role: we estimate the Group will need around 150 GWh of battery capacity per year by 2025. That is equivalent to a procurement volume of some €50 billion just to meet demand for the volume models based on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). Alongside security of supply and price stability, sustainability is another key aspect.
Press releases
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New ID.3 and future ID. models to be equipped with batteries offering the highest capacity – and an eight-year warranty
Volkswagen will launch production of the ID.3 before the year is out. The compact-class model is the first member of the ID. family – a new generation of progressive electric vehicles whose lithium-ion batteries will allow for a range of up to 550 kilometres, making the models perfect for comfortable long journeys. The future owners of ID. models won’t need to worry about the durability of their batteries either, as Volkswagen will guarantee that the batteries will retain at least 70 per cent of their usable capacity even after eight years or 160,000 kilometres. -
Volkswagen invests in Northvolt AB
Volkswagen AG is investing some €900 million in joint battery activities with Northvolt AB. Part of the sum is intended for a joint venture with the Swedish battery cell producer, a further share will go directly to Northvolt AB. In return, Volkswagen will acquire about 20 percent of the shares in Northvolt AB and will have one seat on the Board of Directors, subject to approval under antitrust legislation. Furthermore, a 50/50 joint venture to build a 16 GWh battery cell factory in Europe is planned during the course of this year. It is intended to locate the factory in Lower Saxony (Salzgitter) if the preconditions for this are fulfilled. Construction of the production facility is scheduled to start, at the earliest, in 2020. Battery cell production for Volkswagen is slated to commence around the end of 2023/beginning of 2024. -
Volkswagen’s Incubator programme: six start-ups move into the Gläserne Manufaktur
Six new start-ups have been decided on for the founders programme in the Future Mobility Incubator at the Gläserne Manufaktur in Dresden. The winners of the final pitch were the following start-ups: AVILOO from Vienna, Kopernikus from Berlin, NAVENTIK from Chemnitz, Visualix from Berlin, home-IX UG from Stuttgart and LiGenium from Chemnitz. They will start work in the Gläserne Manufaktur in mid May 2019, where they will be able to develop their ideas for market readiness with the support of Volkswagen and the business development team of Saxony’s capital, Dresden. 114 start-ups entered the fourth founders class competition. -
Supervisory Board and Board of Management take important decisions for future of Volkswagen Group
The Supervisory Board and Board of Management of Volkswagen AG took important decisions for the future of the Volkswagen Group today. As part of its electrification offensive the Volkswagen Group is to move forward with setting up a battery cell production facility in Europe under a partnership. To that end, the Supervisory Board approved investments of just under one billion euros at today’s meeting. It is planned to locate a battery cell production facility in Lower Saxony (Salzgitter). It was also decided to begin concrete negotiations on the planned new multibrand plant in Europe with the remaining potential locations. In addition, the Supervisory Board requested the Board of Management to start the process to develop a forward-looking, industrially meaningful solution for MAN Energy Solutions (ES) and RENK AG. The focus lies on opening future-oriented growth perspectives for mechanical engineering in the Group, for example though a joint venture, partnerships, or a full or partial sale. Furthermore, it was decided to prepare an IPO of TRATON SE to be launched before the 2019 summer break, subject to further market developments. -
Bring on the Nürburgring – ID. R ready for its record attempt on the Nordschleife
The ID. R has completed the next series of tests in preparation for the challenges that lie ahead. After working on the aerodynamics in the wind tunnel, the most recent tests at the racetracks in Le Castellet and Alès (both France) focused on the energy management software. The objective was to establish the ideal set-up for the electric drivetrain ahead of the record attempt on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In the summer of 2019, the ID. R, sporty forerunner of the ID. family of fully-electric production vehicles from Volkswagen, will be aiming to set a new record lap time for electric vehicles at the historic Eifel circuit, with Romain Dumas at the wheel. -
Volkswagen Group secures lithium supplies
The Volkswagen Group and Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. registered in Jiangxi (China) have signed a memorandum of understanding on long-term lithium supplies for battery cells. Under the agreement, Ganfeng will supply lithium to the Volkswagen Group and its suppliers for the next ten years. Volkswagen is thus already securing a significant share of its lithium requirement for batteries. -
Volkswagen and US elite Stanford University develop a fuel cell for the future
The fuel cell is regarded as a serious alternative to the classic electric car with battery cells. However, the biggest problem is the comparatively high cost of the technology. A partnership between Volkswagen and the prestigious Stanford University in the US has now significantly reduced this disadvantage thanks to a newly developed process. -
Volkswagen closes QuantumScape transaction
The Volkswagen Group has concluded the planned increase in its stake in the California technology company QuantumScape. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had no objection to the transaction. Volkswagen is investing 100 million USD in the battery specialist, thus becoming its largest automotive shareholder. Volkswagen will now take a seat on the board of directors of QuantumScape. Furthermore, Volkswagen and QuantumScape have formed a joint venture to enable an industrial level of production of solid-state batteries. -
Volkswagen Group China’s mega-factory in Foshan will strengthen e-mobility strategy in China
Through the completion of the Foshan Plant Phase II, the Foshan production site’s capacity will double from 300,000 to 600,000 cars annually. As the first SUV-model of the Volkswagen brand built by FAW-Volkswagen, the T-Roc successfully rolled off the line in April this year. Together with the Audi Q2L, which will also start production this year, it is a vital building block in the fast growing SUV segment. -
Volkswagen partners with QuantumScape to secure access to solid-state battery technology
By increasing its stake in the California technology company QuantumScape Corporation and forming a new joint venture, Volkswagen Group is paving the way for the next level of battery power for long-range e-mobility. Dr. Axel Heinrich, Head of VW Group Research, who will take a seat on the board of directors of QuantumScape, says: “We want to accelerate the commercialization of QuantumScape’s solid-state batteries. And we combine forces to leverage Volkswagen’s experience as a production specialist and QuantumScape technology leadership. Volkswagen is thus taking another step toward a sustainable, zero emission mobility for our customers in the future.” Volkswagen will invest 100m USD in US-based QuantumScape and will become the innovative enterprise’s largest automotive shareholder. Closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval. -
A science in its own right: The rapid-charging system for the ID. R Pikes Peak
The corresponding paragraph in the regulations for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is clear: Should a participant in the most famous hill climb in the world be forced to suspend their run for safety reasons – for example, should it suddenly start to hail or another car require recovering – they have exactly 20 minutes, in which to prepare for their second attempt and to return to the start line. “This time frame was a crucial factor when configuring the battery for the ID. R Pikes Peak,” says François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. “Furthermore, the charging strategy and independent mobile power supply are also important aspects of the rapid-charging system.” -
Highly-sophisticated and highly efficient – the drivetrain technology in the ID. R Pikes Peak
The ID. R Pikes Peak that Romain Dumas will be driving on 24th June 2018 at the “Pikes Peak International Hill Climb” boasts the most sophisticated powertrain ever developed by Volkswagen Motorsport. “We are breaking new ground with the ID. R Pikes Peak: This is the first time ever that Volkswagen will be competing in a race with a fully-electric car. Alongside the elaborate aerodynamic concept and the special requirements for the sports car chassis, the development of the electric drivetrain was the greatest challenge,” explains François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. -
Volkswagen tests quantum computing in battery research
For the first time, Volkswagen experts have succeeded in simulating industrially relevant molecules using a quantum computer. This is especially important for the development of high-performance electric vehicle batteries. The experts have successfully simulated molecules such as lithium-hydrogen and carbon chains. Now they are working on more complex chemical compounds. In the long term, they want to simulate the chemical structure of a complete electric vehicle battery on a quantum computer. Their objective is to develop a “tailor-made battery”, a configurable chemical blueprint that is ready for production. Volkswagen is presenting its research work connected with quantum computing at the CEBIT technology show (Hanover, June 12-15). -
Volkswagen to offer electrified versions of its models
Volkswagen is to launch an electric version of its globally best-selling vehicle – the Volkswagen Golf, offering a sustainable, efficient and powerful alternative. The introduction of innovative, new hybrid systems in the eighth generation of Golf vehicles marks a new era for the brand with regard to drive technology. In the future, Volkswagen will gradually electrify almost every vehicle in its range of models. The company is offering a first look at the future of electrified drive systems as part of the International Vienna Motor Symposium – one of the world’s most important congresses on the automotive technology of today and the future. -
Technical Development expands battery competence
In the future, Frank Blome is to head the Battery Cell Center of Excellence of the Volkswagen brand. Blome, previously Chairman of the Management Board of Deutsche ACCUmotive GmbH, is to assume the newly created function with effect from January 1, 2018. -
Volkswagen Group and Google work together on quantum computers
At the technology conference "Web Summit 2017" (Lisbon), the Volkswagen Group and Google today announced comprehensive research cooperation in the field of quantum computing. The two companies will explore the utilization of quantum computers together, with aims to build up specialist knowledge and to carry out practically oriented research. As part of this collaboration, a team of specialists from Volkswagen and Google will work together using a Google quantum computer. Quantum computers can solve certain highly complex tasks considerably faster than conventional supercomputers. In some cases, a solution will only be possible with quantum computers. -
Volkswagen at 2016 Paris International Motor Show: World premiere of the visionary ID. concept car
Think New! Under this guiding principle, and with a visionary electric vehicle, Volkswagen is offering a fascinating outlook on the mobility of tomorrow at the Paris International Motor Show (1 –16 October). The world premiere of the ID. is the focal point of the company's show appearance. The zero-emission ID. will already be going into production in 2020, and it will kick off a new generation of innovative electric vehicles. -
Volkswagen looks to the future at CES 2016
Volkswagen presents the innovative concept BUDD-e, which is based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) and is the next big step for electric vehicles, at the CES in Las Vegas. The Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand, Dr. Herbert Diess, said in front of 2300 visitors to the show, that "the BUDD-e is a realistic trend setter". With the innovative e-Golf Touch he also demonstrated the next generation of infotainment for large scale production with a new display and control concept, which includes gesture control and larger displays.
Stories
For the lifetime of a car
Frank Blome heads Volkswagen’s Center of Excellence for Battery Cells. In this interview he explains how batteries are changing the automobile, what drivers should know about charging their e-cars and what advances we can expect to see in the next generations of battery technology.
Is lithium replaceable?
Why is lithium so important for the production of electric car batteries? How will Volkswagen secure a sustainable supply chain? We provide the answers and explain with five graphics the importance of this well-sought after alkali metal.
Lithium to lithium, manganese to manganese
In the future, Volkswagen will offer e-mobility for all – and will assume overall responsibility: from the concepts for the vehicles, through production, sales and operations on to recycling. For this reason, a pilot plant for battery recycling is currently being set up at Salzgitter factory, south-west of Braunschweig, Germany.
Basic Infos
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Lithium: The Irreplaceable Element of the Electric Era
Why is lithium so important for the production of electric car batteries? And how will Volkswagen secure a sustainable supply chain? We answer the key questions. -
ID. – the world premiere
An ambassador: the ID. is the first Volkswagen of a new fleet of electric cars It runs and runs: the ID. has a range of 400 to 600 kilometres Ready for the future: the ID. concept car demonstrates a fully automated mode for the year 2025
Media
Volkswagen tests quantum computing in battery research
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Volkswagen at the 38th Vienna Motor Symposium
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Volkswagen e-Golf
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Volkswagen e-Golf
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Volkswagen Showcar ID. BUZZ
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Volkswagen Showcar ID. BUZZ
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