In its race to catch up with the American pioneer Tesla, the German manufacturer Volkswagen wants to sell a million electrified cars in 2021 and intends to dominate this market "
at the latest
" in 2025, he said on Tuesday.
Also: Volkswagen to produce electric cars in Barcelona
Hybrids included, Volkswagen had sold 422,000 battery units in 2020, including 230,000 purely electric, ie three times more than in 2019. “
By 2025 at the latest, the group wants to become the world leader in the electric mobility market
,” explains the company in a press release.
The group, which will invest 46 billion euros in five years in its electric shift, relies on more standardization to achieve vast economies of scale and return by 2025 at the latest to an operating margin of between 7% and 8% .
Fixed costs are also set to drop 5% by 2023.
"
The majority of cars will have an electric motor
"
The share of electric cars among European sales, where particularly strict emissions legislation forces manufacturers to electrify their offer, reached 10.5% in 2020, against 1.9% the previous year, with the introduction of the market for the flagship model ID.3.
The group intends to achieve an electric share in its European sales of 60% by 2030 and 50% in total, without announcing a date for the end of combustion engines, synonymous with more profitable models that "
finance the transition
" , explained CEO Herbert Diess.
In 2035, "
the majority of cars will have an electric motor and nearly 40% will run autonomously,
" anticipates Mr. Diess.
Up to 5,000 job cuts
Volkswagen announced Monday that it will open by 2030 alone or with partners six European factories of battery cells, a key component of electric cars.
Volkswagen will introduce by 2022 27 models based on the standardized MEB technology, designed for electric and used in the ID.3.
The premium PPE platform will follow from next year.
The new generation will be called SSP and should welcome from the "
middle of the decade
" models of all brands and classes.
Volkswagen announced on Sunday a savings plan to finance investments in the car of the future, which will lead to up to 5,000 job cuts, particularly through early retirement.
Read also: Electric cars: Volkswagen wants to open 6 battery factories in Europe by 2030
The group with 12 brands, relegated by Toyota in 2020 to second place in the world market, communicated at the end of February its preliminary annual result, with a drop of 37% to 8.8 billion euros in net profit.
It expects a "
significant increase
" in its turnover in 2021 and a margin between 5% and 6.5%.
The forecasts "
depend on the evolution of the pandemic
" and Volkswagen wants to "
offset as much as possible
" the effects of the shortage of semiconductors over the year, said Arno Antlitz, chief financial officer of Audi who will start April this position at group level, replacing Franck Witter.
