Volkswagen has unveiled its plans for the future, and it’s clear the automaker plans on being an electric vehicle (EV) battery powerhouse.
Volkswagen recently announced it was upping its investment in future tech to 73 billion euros, up from the 60 billion it initially planned. Much of the additional investment was a result of the company’s focus on electric vehicles.
The company has laid out its roadmap, with plans to establish six gigafactories, with a total production capacity of 240 GWh, in Europe by the end of the decade. The announcement comes after European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic made it clear the EU plans to be self-sufficient in battery production by 2025.
“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.
“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.”
Investing so heavily in battery manufacturing could give Volkswagen a major advantage over competitors.