In 2024, price involution and technology involution are the industry consensus. In the face of the surging Chinese auto market, the Volkswagen Group takes "In China, For China" as the fulcrum to deepen product development and production. At the 18th Beijing Auto Show this year, the Volkswagen Group will unveil a strong product lineup consisting of 44 exhibit cars.
On the eve of the April 24 show, the Volkswagen Group unveiled seven blockbuster models, including the Audi Q6L e-tron, Lamborghini Urus SE, the new Taycan derivative, the ID. CODE concept car ushered in the world premiere, while the Bentley Batur and Ducati Diavel for Bentley made their Chinese debuts. At the same time, the Volkswagen Group has also approved the ID. UNYX showcases the ID. UX, a new category in the ID. family, which is scheduled to be launched this year.
At the press conference, Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, said: "Based on the strategy of 'In China, For China', the Volkswagen Group is focusing 100% of its products on the needs of Chinese customers and is accelerating the transition to electrification. ”
(Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG Blume)
Accelerate the electrification offensive
With 40 years of experience in China, the Volkswagen Group is one of the brands that has implemented the "In China, For China" strategy the most thoroughly, with practical actions in all dimensions, covering a wide range of models and excellent strength, and has won the favor of about 50 million users, becoming a leader in the field of fuel vehicles. However, new energy vehicles, which have been soaring in the Chinese market, have almost completely stolen the light of fuel vehicles. Whether it is the unrivaled horsepower data of fuel vehicles, or the proud growth rate of year-on-year and month-on-month, it is announcing that this is the era of new energy vehicles.
In the face of the menacing wave of new energy, the Volkswagen Group is also facing the test of change. A number of new energy vehicles debuted on the eve of this auto show are a new answer sheet handed over by Volkswagen Group in the new energy wave, and the seven models can be said to be heavy.
Among them, the Volkswagen brand ID. The CODE concept car is specially built for Chinese customers, and the overall design incorporates more Chinese DNA elements. The new car adopts a coupe-like fastback body line design, which has a strong sporty style and personalized attributes. In addition, as can be seen from the body lines, the new car has a wider front and rear fender shape, and is paired with a small roof spoiler device.
The Audi Q6L e-tron is an all-electric SUV based on the PPE platform. Jointly developed and used by Audi and Porsche, the PPE is a next-generation pure electric platform with many technological innovations. The new car is based on the ever-evolving design language of the e-tron family. The interior of the car is warm, classic color scheme, plus a large area of leather wrapping and wood grain decoration, it looks very homely. The newly developed E3 1.2 electronic architecture is the technical foundation of the Audi Q6L e-tron in-vehicle infotainment system and driver assistance, and the E3 stands for end-to-end electronic architecture.
The Lamborghini Urus, which has always been known for its high performance, also began to power up. Named the Urus SE, the new model is equipped with a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 4.0T V8 engine and an electric motor, with a maximum system power of 800 hp and a maximum torque of 950 Nm. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 11.2 seconds, with a top speed of 312 km/h. Looking at both the engine and the electric motor, it has a maximum power of more power than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid.
Obviously, the unveiling of a huge lineup of new energy vehicles not only fully reflects the importance that Volkswagen Group attaches to the Chinese market, but also demonstrates the achievements of Volkswagen Group's new energy transformation. In the context of new energy, the Volkswagen Group is actively transforming to electrification in the Chinese market and continues to provide intelligent and connected car products suitable for Chinese consumers.
At least 30 trams by 2030
Over the past 40 years, the Volkswagen Group has made a strong mark in the memories of Chinese consumers with a series of sophisticated products. Entering the new energy era, the original intention of the Volkswagen Group has not changed, and the new energy vehicles still have excellent products, and the entry of a number of new models also fully reflects the Volkswagen Group's "In China, For China" strategy.
In response to the great changes in the Chinese market, the Volkswagen Group has also formulated the "2030 goal" early, that is, to consolidate its position as the No. 1 international car company in China and play a leading role in the era of intelligent and connected vehicles. In order to achieve the goal, Volkswagen has made relevant plans for products and research and development, relying on the strategy of "In China, For China".
By 2027, the Volkswagen Group will accelerate its offensive of pure electric products by providing 30 locally produced gasoline and hybrid models to fund the development of the connected car business by using the profits of the combustion engine business, and by 2030, it will offer at least 30 pure electric models in the Chinese automotive market. Among them, Volkswagen Anhui's first Volkswagen-branded model will make its global debut in 2024, which is a pure electric intelligent connected model. and Changchun-based Audi FAW New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., which plans to start production of its first model based on the PPE platform by the end of this year, with a new model to be launched in 2025. It is worth mentioning that by the end of 2024, based on the MEB and PPE platforms, the Volkswagen Group will launch more than 10 pure electric models in the Chinese market. By 2026, new cars will be launched on the locally developed CMP platform. In addition, there will be new cars on the MEB+ platform.
In 2024, Volkswagen will launch three new models in China: Passat, Tiguan and Magotan, all of which will have personalized intelligent assistants, advanced voice control, advanced driving assistance functions, and localized intelligent cockpit experience. In the general direction, Volkswagen will gradually transform its main fuel models into new energy vehicles by using the latest plug-in hybrid technology, and achieve a pure electric range of more than 100 kilometers.
It can be seen that for the long-term development of car companies, Volkswagen Group has a positive attitude towards fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles, rather than betting on pure electric vehicles. Overall, although the Volkswagen Group has relevant pure electric new car plans for its Volkswagen brand and Audi brand, it is not very aggressive, and the new car plan is cautious.
In fact, the biggest reason why most brands choose All in the field of new energy is that they have no technology and products that they can get their hands on in the field of fuel vehicles. As a leader in the fuel vehicle market, Volkswagen Group has launched a series of fuel models in recent years that are very competitive in the market, and the Tourang, Tourang X, Lancun and Lanjing are still favored by many consumers. In addition, with the increased share of the ICE vehicle market, the Volkswagen Group will be able to further strengthen its foundation and deliver an excellent experience in terms of service and brand image, which will greatly contribute to the development of pure electric vehicles.
Epilogue:
The wave of intelligent electrification in China's auto market is advancing rapidly, and joint venture car companies, including Volkswagen Group, have indeed encountered challenges, but the Volkswagen Group, as the hegemon of the fuel era, has not been stopped by the difficulties in front of it, and has carried out a series of reforms with its own strong system strength, and continues to bring strong practicality and quality of new models to the market.
In the face of a brutal market environment, the Volkswagen Group is well prepared to meet the challenge. In the future, the Volkswagen Group will continue to launch new fuel models, new energy vehicle products, and luxury models on the basis of its existing advantages, and win the post-joint venture era through all-round layout and new brand strategy. (Text|Yu)