Business · Companies · 7 hrs ago
Volkswagen plans to extend Spain’s shared-platform model across Europe
Volkswagen plans to apply an industrial model used at its Martorell and Pamplona plants across its European factories.
In Spain, the company is developing and making four small electric cars for three brands on a shared technology platform.
The models are the Volkswagen ID.
Polo and Cupra Raval in Martorell, and the Volkswagen ID.
Cross and Skoda Epiq in Pamplona.
Volkswagen says sharing platforms and developing products together can create economies of scale and help it compete with Chinese carmakers.
The plan also aims to reduce duplicated work and use artificial intelligence to shorten development times.
The company has announced plans to cut 100,000 jobs worldwide, half of them in Germany.
Chief executive Oliver Blume says European governments also need to help create suitable rules for industry, emissions and trade with China.
Volkswagen plans to extend the industrial model used at its Spanish plants to factories across Europe.
The model develops electric vehicles for three brands on a shared platform, with four models made in Spain.
The company says shared development and greater use of common platforms could improve competitiveness and reduce duplicated work.
Volkswagen cited the approach as a way to compete with Chinese brands and support the future viability of European industry.
The group also called for political cooperation on regulations, emissions rules and trade with China.
- Who
- Volkswagen Group, led by chief executive Oliver Blume, announced the plan.
- What
- The group plans to apply the shared-platform industrial model used in Spain across its European plants.
- When
- The announcement was made at an event in Paris the day before the Paris Motor Show opened.
- Where
- The plan covers Volkswagen’s European plants; the example comes from Martorell, Spain, and Pamplona, Spain.
- Why
- Volkswagen says the approach can create economies of scale, improve competitiveness against Chinese brands and support the future viability of European industry.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
represents the capacity for industrial transformation, innovation and economies of scale that the company needs to become more competitive and strengthen the viability of European industry
Competitiveness is a shared responsibility: companies have to do their part and policymakers must create the right conditions related to Made in Europe, emissions regulations and trade with China
The urban electric vehicle family made in Spain demonstrates what our commitment to Europe means: solid cars, developed and made in Europe, that people really want
Volkswagen presented its European strategy at an event in Paris, using the Spanish-made electric vehicle family as an example.
The Paris Motor Show opened, according to Expansión.
- European production sites
- 55 centres in 16 countries
- European workforce
- 476,400 people, 72% of the group’s global workforce
- Spanish plants
- Martorell and Pamplona
- Shared-platform models
- Volkswagen ID. Polo, Cupra Raval, Volkswagen ID. Cross and Skoda Epiq
- Planned Iberian production
- More than 1 million cars a year, including the Palmela plant in Portugal
Sources
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