Photo credit: Volkswagen
Volkswagen Group has announced plans to bring down the cost of their battery production up to 50% in the coming years. Now the second-largest automaker in the world based on sales, the automaker has aggressively shifted and placed an emphasis on its EV production as of late, and the progress is showing. The main goal of the plan to go more electric moving forward relies on the brand’s ability to reduce costs on the battery for the vehicles. If the battery becomes cheaper, so will the car’s price—if the car’s price goes down, hopefully, that entices more buyers to make the switch to Volkswagen, catapulting its sales and eventually making them a top producer in the EV realm. Or so they hope.
The Volkswagen Group is also hoping to secure its supply of batteries beyond 2025 while simultaneously expanding the brand’s public fast-charging footprint around the world. Currently, the brand is targeting the completion of six Gigafactories with a total production capacity of 240 GWh by 2030.
Where will they begin?
The Volkswagen Group is moving as fast as it can to develop production capacities overseas to meet the battery demands. Once completed, the factories are expected to produce battery cells with a total energy of 240 GWh per year, and the brand is actively working in accordance with the European Union’s Green Deal to meet its 2030 targets. The first two of the total six planned Gigafactories are slated to operate out of Skelleftea, Sweden, and Salzgitter, Germany, beginning in 2023, with plans to gradually expand operations to an annual capacity up to 40 GWh. The current Gigafactory in Salzgitter will be in charge of producing the unified cell for the high-volume segment and will also develop innovations in chemistry, design, and process. As an added bonus, Volkswagen is assuring both facilities will be powered by renewable resources.
Creating a New Battery Design
Also planned to arrive by 2023, Volkswagen has its eyes on rolling out an all-new unified prismatic cell design for its batteries. The Group is hoping to have the new battery installed across its entire fleet and have the design power up to 80% of VW’s EVs by 2030. With the help of its strategic partners including, European utilities Enel and Iberdrola, and BP oil, Volkswagen hopes to expand its electric charging infrastructure with the intention of having 18,000 public fast-charging spots up and running in Europe by 2025. VW wants to establish 8,000 fast-charging slots mainly concentrated in Germany and the United Kingdom with BP alone. The fast chargers will have a capacity of 150 kW and are set to be installed at 4,000 BP and ARAL fueling stations. Electric is the future.
Rush To Experience New VWs
Interested in a new option to buy or lease? Take a look at the new VW vehicle inventory or quality pre-owned vehicles at a local dealer. Schedule an online service appointment with the service center and allow professional techs to get started on all repairs or maintenance work on your VW vehicle.
Looking for options with any financial help, needs, or suggestions to help make paying for a vehicle easier? Apply for Auto financing. Stop by today and see what can be done for you at Sunrise Volkswagen.
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Terry is an avid Nascar fan who grew up attending races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just down the road from his hometown of China Grove, NC. Terry currently resides in Wellington and has been writing for 15 years. He also enjoys watching the Road Runner Looney Tunes cartoon with his two sons in his spare time.