Strategy

Volkswagen will be presenting the results of three years of intensive development work at the IAA MOBILITY 2025 (8-14 September) in Munich, signalling the brand’s new direction. Inspired by the phrase “True Volkswagen”, the company has really honed in on typical Volkswagen strengths such as clean design with recognition factor, high standards of quality, an attractive price-performance ratio, intuitive operating concepts and innovative technologies.

Volkswagen is also setting the course for the future when it comes to model names: with a new naming strategy that also transfers the familiar designations of combustion-engine models to its all-electric ID. family. The first model to be launched will be the ID. Polo from 2026. The concept car is known as the ID. 2all. Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, Head of the Brand Group Core and member of the Group Board of Management: “Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds. They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all. That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID. Polo is just the beginning.” Volkswagen will transfer more established names to the electric portfolio with each new model generation. At the same time, all vehicles with conventional drives will continue to run under their previous names. With this strategy, Volkswagen is bringing together the electric and combustion engine worlds, helping customers navigate the brand’s product range more easily in the future.

The Volkswagen brand has reached a significant milestone in its transformation to electromobility. In the presence of the Minister President of Lower Saxony Olaf Lies, the 1.5 millionth vehicle worldwide from the all-electric ID. family was today handed over to a customer at the Volkswagen plant in Emden. The anniversary vehicle is a black ID.7 Tourer Pro, which raises the bar in its class with a range of up to 606 kilometers.

The “In China, for China” strategy of the Volkswagen brand is taking on visible form: At this year’s Auto Shanghai (April 23 to May 2), one of the world’s most important motor shows, VW’s three Chinese joint ventures will present electric concept cars. The spotlight is on an electric notchback model from FAW-Volkswagen, an electric SUV in the B segment with extended range due to range-extender technology (EREV) from SAIC VOLKSWAGEN as well as an all-electric SUV from Volkswagen Anhui. All three concept cars embody Volkswagen’s new China DNA – both in terms of technology and design and in relation to development time, which has been cut by more than 30 percent.

The Volkswagen brand is putting its global future plan into action. With an investment of 580 million USD in Argentina, the brand is paving the way for the next generation of mid-size pick-up truck as a successor to the Amarok. The new model will be produced at the Pacheco plant in Argentina from 2027. It is being developed specifically for the South American market and will strengthen the strategically important pick-up segment in this region. The brand’s goal is to be the global technology leader among volume manufacturers by 2030. A key component of this will be expanding the brand’s position in regional markets and developing market-specific product solutions.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand is trimming its Board of Management; subsequent to a pioneer phase for the “New Mobility” division, and in line with plans, the brand is integrating key elements of this division into Technical Development (TE). Led by Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Technical Development, all development activities for future technologies and vehicle architectures (MEB and SSP) have already been bundled. The development division also steers development volumes for ICE model series (MQB). In future, responsibility for series technical project management will rest exclusively with TE. In the context of the brand’s performance program, this course of action supports the further optimization of development processes in Wolfsburg and helps shorten development times. New software development processes for electric vehicles based on the MEB were specifically tested and established in the “New Mobility” division. The transfer of these activities to the MQBevo has already taken place as planned, and the “New Mobility” division’s mission has been accomplished. Thomas Ulbrich, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for “New Mobility” since 2022, has been named the Volkswagen Group’s Head of Development in China effective April 1, 2024.