Volkswagen CEO says can't go all-in with electric vehicles just yet

By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 23 May 2022, 10:24 AM

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The Volkswagen Group's CEO believes that the company has the potential to become the world's leading automaker in terms of sales of electric vehicles.

Volkswagen has unveiled the 2022 ID.Buzz electric microbus for both passenger and commercial vehicle segment. The two models, which are electric renditions of the iconic Kombi or Bulli from the past, will go into production later this year.

2022 Volkswagen ID.Buzz aims to continue the legacy of the Kombi or Bulli almost 72 years after the carmaker assembled the first editions of the iconic vehicle.

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz Passenger electric microbus can seat up to five people. The rear seats can be folded to open up more space for luggage. Volkswagen says that it will also have a six-seater variant soon.

Volkswagen has not revealed details about the engine or the electric range of the ID.Buzz yet. The microbus will come with a 82-kWh battery pack and a 201-horsepower electric motor with a 145 kmph top speed. Volkswagen said that the battery can be recharged from 5 percent to 80 percent in just 30 minutes using a fast charger.

2022 Volkswagen ID.Buzz is based on the German carmaker's Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) platform. Currently, 30 percent of the electric vehicles produced by the group are based on MEB. By 2025, Volkswagen aims to take the figures to 80 percent.

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File photo of Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess. (AFP)

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Volkswagen has unveiled the 2022 ID.Buzz electric microbus for both passenger and commercial vehicle segment. The two models, which are electric renditions of the iconic Kombi or Bulli from the past, will go into production later this year. (AFP)

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2022 Volkswagen ID.Buzz aims to continue the legacy of the Kombi or Bulli almost 72 years after the carmaker assembled the first editions of the iconic vehicle. (AFP)

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The Volkswagen ID.Buzz Passenger electric microbus can seat up to five people. The rear seats can be folded to open up more space for luggage. Volkswagen says that it will also have a six-seater variant soon. (AFP)

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Volkswagen has not revealed details about the engine or the electric range of the ID.Buzz yet. The microbus will come with a 82-kWh battery pack and a 201-horsepower electric motor with a 145 kmph top speed. Volkswagen said that the battery can be recharged from 5 percent to 80 percent in just 30 minutes using a fast charger. (AFP)

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2022 Volkswagen ID.Buzz is based on the German carmaker's Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) platform. Currently, 30 percent of the electric vehicles produced by the group are based on MEB. By 2025, Volkswagen aims to take the figures to 80 percent. (AFP)

Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess in a recent summit shared his thoughts on the transition of the automobile industry towards electric vehicles. Diess explained that though the demand for electric vehicles is rising, the infrastructure to manufacture these EVs and support them is lagging behind. Many automakers have shared earlier that transitioning to electric vehicles will not happen overnight as involvement from various sectors such as governments, energy companies, climate organisations as well as consumers are needed.

Diess reinstated that to achieve a full-fledged change in the mobility sector demands huge investments and time. “We need the correct plants to be modified or built, the battery production capacity to be available, and to build a secure, sustainable supply chain. The customer needs the correct infrastructure to be put in place to live with the cars," the Volkswagen CEO was reportedly quoted.

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The Volkswagen Group's Head also believes that the company as a whole has the potential to become the world's leading automaker in terms of sales of electric vehicles. Diess added the company's intention to become the world leader in EV sales by 2025, all thanks to the investments that are being made. He also highlighted the tight competition between Volkswagen and the popular EV company Tesla by reportedly admitting that he did not expect Tesla to be so fast in terms of their ability.

Also Read : Elon Musk impressed by Volkswagen, calls it second only to Tesla in EV world

Dies also confirmed the plans it has for the small electric vehicle segment. There are three small EVs planned to come in 2025 which will be based on the company's MEB Small platform which is currently under development. He added, “The demand is there and the margins are there for small electric cars to be profitable."