Volkswagen to roll out 1.2-M EVs a year with plants in Europe, China, and US

MANILA: Volkswagen is expanding its global production network for electric vehicles by starting to make the all-electric ID.4 in Emden. Volkswagen is creating the conditions in 2022 for building 1.2 million EVs a year based on the MEB in the future at its sites in Europe, the US and China. 

Emden is now the second site for electric vehicles in Germany following Zwickau. Volkswagen has invested around €1 million in converting the Emden plant from building internal combustion engined (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EV). 

Emden is thus the first high-tech site for electric mobility in Lower Saxony. The Volkswagen Group will invest a total of €21 billion in Lower Saxony up to 2026 and make the federal state Germany the center for electric mobility.

The Emden plant's operation joins the Chinese plants in Anting and Foshan. VW's Chattanooga, USA, and Hanover, Germany sites will also commence production this year. 

Emden’s maximum production capacity at the end of 2022 will be 800 units per working day, depending on the supply situation, Volkswagen said. 

Six new production halls and five new conveyor bridges and logistics buildings over a total area of some 125,000 square meters have been created as part of the plant’s conversion. A foundation for successful transformation is the qualification concept at Emden, which comprises training near to the production line and virtual training, as well as sharing of knowledge and experience with Volkswagen’s Zwickau site.

More than 400 employees from Emden have been assigned to Zwickau since early 2020 in order to prepare for producing electric vehicles.

Following its market launch in early 2021, Volkswagen has seen strong sales and high demand for the ID.4.

In the first quarter of 2022 alone, Volkswagen delivered more than 30,000 units — meaning every one in two all-electric vehicles from Volkswagen is an ID.4. About 163,000 units have been delivered since its launch, making the ID.4 the Volkswagen brand’s and the Group’s best-selling e-vehicle.

In many markets, the electric SUV jumped to the top of the sales charts in its very first year and was the best-selling all- electric vehicle in countries such as Denmark, Finland, Ireland or Sweden. There are currently around 73,000 orders worldwide for the ID.4. 

Photos from Volkswagen

Also read: Volkswagen x Star Wars for ID. Buzz EV