The Volkswagen Group is expanding its successful business relationships in the People’s Republic of China. As part of the 5th German-Chinese government consultations, the Volkswagen Group China signed letters of intent with a long-time joint-venture partner, the FAW Group, and with the China Intelligent and Connected Vehicles (Beijing) Research Institute Co. Ltd. (ICV). The agreements cover the areas of e-mobility, connectivity, mobility services and autonomous driving. A day earlier, the Volkswagen Group China joined the automakers JAC and SEAT in signing letters of intent in which the three underscored their commitment to e-mobility. The aim of the partnerships is to draw on the support of the Chinese partners and to systematically and vigorously fuel the company’s far-reaching electro-offensive and to apply new technologies.
Dr. Herbert Diess, the CEO of Volkswagen AG and Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Car brand, said: “The car of the future will not just be powered by electricity. It will also be digitally connected and will increasingly drive itself. This will prevent accidents, reduce traffic congestion and drastically reduce noise pollution and exhaust emissions. By expanding these partnerships, the Volkswagen Group plans to strengthen its position in China’s critically important market.”
At the signing ceremony in Berlin, Professor Jochem Heizmann, a member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG and the President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, added: “The new partnerships represent additional milestones in our electro-offensive in the Chinese market. “Working with our new and existing joint venture partners, we are developing an electric, smart and sustainable future for individual mobility for our customers in China.” The partnerships involve such work as developing and producing components for new energy vehicles (NEV), expanding vehicle connectivity and automotive data services and enhancing autonomous driving. Other plans include developing a national battery-charging infrastructure and all business activities that are related to it.
The People’s Republic of China is the world’s largest e-mobility market. As part of its far-reaching electrification offensive “Roadmap E,” the Volkswagen Group is planning to deliver about 1.5 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) to customers in 2025. Over the next seven to eight years, the company intends to introduce about 40 new, locally produced totally electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids made by the brands Volkswagen, Audi, ŠKODA, SEAT and a new joint venture with JAC.
Through 2022, Volkswagen and its partners in China will invest about €15 billion in future fields such as e-mobility, autonomous driving, digitalization and new mobility services. In addition to investments, this will also include expenses for research and development for new technologies and new mobility projects.
Professor Jochem Heizmann said: “China and Volkswagen have been strong partners for more than 30 years now. As the world’s largest automotive market and one of our Group’s leading production sites, China plays a very special role in our company. “We are creating the most advanced infrastructure here to support our broad SUV offensive and our e-mobility strategy – Roadmap E.” The SEDRIC also provides an intriguing glimpse at the future of mobility, a time when urban traffic will be intelligently managed.”
The SEDRIC concept vehicle is blazing trails in the development of key technologies. As part of its future program TOGETHER – Strategy 2025, the Volkswagen Group has committed itself to becoming a global leader in the areas of e-mobility, autonomous driving, digitalization and new mobility services. SEDRIC combines all of these areas of the future into a single mobility concept. During a test ride in the SEDRIC concept vehicle, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang experienced the fascination of autonomous driving first hand. At the same time, they looked into the future of mobility at the Volkswagen Group. Other topics covered during the German-Chinese government consultations included China’s key role at the Volkswagen Group as an automotive location and the emission-free mobility of the future.
One of the major undertakings in efforts to shape the future of mobility involves the introduction of future technologies into the series production of the Volkswagen brand’s I.D. family. The fully electric, fully connected I.D. models will begin to hit roads in Europe, China and North America starting in 2020. The effort has been started by the compact I.D., a vehicle with a range of up 600 kilometers. The I.D. family will also be “ready for automated driving”: Autonomous driving functions will be integrated and expanded step by step. Highly networked, automated and electrified – this is what the future of Audi is all about. With the new label Audi AI, the premium brand is building on its many years of experience with piloted concept cars and is combining innovative Audi systems and technologies with electronically based intelligence.
