VW Group pushes electric and autonomous vehicle dev't with New Auto strategy

"Our goal is to become the world market leader for e-vehicles,” Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess announced at the company's recent virtual Annual General Meeting. 

To achieve that, the VW Group will push further its development of electric, as well as autonomous vehicles, with the "New Auto" strategy up to 2030. 

"The cars on our roads will be sustainable, safe, smart and ultimately autonomous within the next 10 years. Individual mobility has a bright future," Diess noted. 

"With our strong brands and global technology platforms, we have a clear plan to play a leading role in the new world of mobility, too.”

The brands under the VW Group are: Audi, Bentley, Cupra, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat, Skoda, Traton, and Volkswagen cars and commercial vehicles. 

First among the brands that VW Group is pushing for the "electrification and digitalization of the model portfolio" is Audi. 

“No other premium manufacturer offers a similar range of electric cars," Diess said, and added that Audi will continue to expand this with a project called Artemis. “Yet again, (the brand) is thus developing the most cutting-edge technologies for the entire Group," the CEO added.

The Artemis technology may be used by Bentley, while "bundling the British luxury brand with Lamborghini and Ducati in the premium brand group would make it possible to position Audi's technology in an even higher price segment." 

Volkswagen is likewise doing its model portfolio change with its Accelerate strategy, and the EV model range called the ID. VW also has a similar project called Trinity. 

“With the Trinity future project, Volkswagen is introducing Artemis technology into the volume segment, as it has already done with the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB)," Diess said. Brands Cupra and Seat use the MEB, as does Skoda which is also developing a hybrid drivetrain alongside e-power. 

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is developing autonomous shuttles for cities like the ID.Buzz AD. The ID.Buzz is plugged as an electric successor to the original Kombi, and a model that Diess said will be launched next year. 

Porsche is said to be a strong performer in the sports brand group, with the "order backlog for the Taycan currently at four to five months," according to Diess. 

In the commercial vehicle business, the VW Group said that the Traton has invested €1.6 billion in the research and development of e-mobility by 2025. 

Photos from Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley

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