VW is bundling battery competencies in Germany

The VW factory in Braunschweig has been chosen to develop and produce battery systems on the company’s MEB platform. VW is speaking of the bundling of battery competencies for all of Europe in Braunschweig and to set an example for global production too.

In future, the company plans to manufacture half a million battery systems for EVs per year, benefiting the VW brand as well as the other brands under the corporate banner.

The factory in Braunschweig will be set up as the competency center for Europe in this context, and will be used to support battery manufacturing around the world. Specifically, VW has mentioned China and the USA.

According to the head of the component unit, Thomas Schmall, the location in Braunschweig has been ramping up their battery development and production knowledge in the last few years. The team surrounding Otto Joos has worked on the MQB models from inception to serial production, and the new focus on the MEB platform will help the location become a global innovator for e-mobility.

There has also been some speculation regarding a renewed interest in battery cell production, when/if Herbert Diess takes over from Matthias Müller as CEO. The pilot project for the manufacture of battery cells in Salzgitter may find itself more central to development than initially planned.

Regarding the competency bundling in the factory, Diess stated that VW were doing “everything to ensure that the EVs of the future are designed and developed in Germany. The battery system is an elementary component of this value chain”.

automobil-produktion.de, volkswagen-media-services.com (Both in German)