2016 until today – On the Road to Emission-Free Mobility

2016

January 1

By establishing a board-level “Integrity and Legal Affairs” function, Volkswagen implements the organisational consequences of the emissions manipulation issue. The appointment of Dr. Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt underscores Volkswagen’s strong commitment to compliance and good governance. Hiltrud Dorothea Werner takes over the post with effect from February 1, 2017.

January 4

Production of the second-generation Tiguan starts at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg. Based on the modular transverse mounting kit, the new Touran’s total length of 4527 mm provides an additional 11 cm of interior space. The optionally five- or seven-seater SUV now offers 615 litres of luggage space, even expanding to 1655 litres with the seat backs folded down – 145 litres more than its predecessor. Sporty and distinctive in design, it initially comes with a choice of three TSI engines developing power outputs between 92 kW/125 hp and 132 kW/180 hp and three TDI engines between 85 kW/115 hp and 140 kW/190 hp. The engine choice is subsequently extended with a top-of-the range 176 kW/240 hp unit. The new generation integrates a wealth of assistance systems as standard, including Front Assist with the City emergency braking function and pedestrian recognition, Lane Assist and multi-collision brakes, as well as infotainment and online services. In response to high demand, the predecessor model – of which 2.8 million units have been produced – is initially still built in Wolfsburg, and starting in the spring also at the Osnabrück plant. The new model is released for sale by dealers in Germany on April 29th, at prices starting from EUR 25,975.

February 29

The Volkswagen Phideon celebrates its world premier in Geneva. The premium sports saloon developed for the Chinese market redefines the design language of Volkswagen’s luxury-car models. With its fluid transitions and clear lines, the 5.07 metre long Phideon presents an energetically forward-thrusting face, with a massive radiator grille, as well as featuring a sharply defined shoulder line, with the typically harmonious rear-end styling of a coupe. The interior conveys a sense of luxurious flair. In the cockpit area, Volkswagen introduces ground-breaking technology including the newly designed Active Info Display with 3D visuals. With its luxury-class sports saloon, featuring two engine choices developing 165 kW/224 hp or 220 kW/299 hp, Volkswagen sets course on a future in which design and innovative technology are elegantly interlinked.

March 21

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft sells its 50 percent indirectly held share in leading leasing and fleet management company LeasePlan Corporation N.V., which operates in 32 countries and has some 1.5 million vehicles under contract. Volkswagen releases approximately 3.7 billion euros in order to improve net liquidity in the Group’s automobile business.

April 21

Volkswagen concludes an agreement in principle to reach a comprehensive out-of-court settlement with the US Department of Justice (Environmental Division), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), with the key involvement of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in relation to the illegal manipulation of diesel engines.

May 24

The Volkswagen Group makes a strategic investment totalling 300 million US dollars in on-demand mobility company Gett. The partnership with the Israeli company, which operates in 60 cities worldwide, relates to the provision of driver services, and forms part of the strategy of developing future business models founded on new forms of mobility through which Volkswagen plans to generate a substantial portion of its sales revenues by 2025. On September 28th the first joint initiative is launched in Moscow, featuring attractive vehicle packages which offer Gett drivers preferential terms on purchasing a Volkswagen Polo Sedan, Volkswagen Jetta, Škoda Rapid or Škoda Octavia. The aims of this are to boost the growth of Gett in Moscow while at the same time enabling the Volkswagen Group to expand its presence in the rapidly growing mobility-on-demand market.

June 16

The Supervisory Board votes to approve the new “TOGETHER Strategy 2025”, aimed at making the Volkswagen Group a global leader in the provision of sustainable mobility. The path to becoming more focused, efficient, innovative, customer-responsive and sustainable, while maintaining profitable growth, is founded on four key pillars: The transformation of the core business will be effected by optimising the model range and through an electrification initiative which aims to sell between two and three million units a year based on a portfolio of more than 30 e-models by 2025. The Mobility Solutions business unit will be rapidly expanded as a means of realising new earnings potential. Digital transformation will boost innovative strength in all areas of the business. In accordance with those aims, battery technology, digitalisation and autonomous driving will become new competence fields for the Group. Future capital investments in the double-figure billions will fund Group-wide efficiency improvements and optimisation of the portfolio. The Volkswagen Group targets an operational return on sales of 7 to 8 percent by 2025, and a return on investment of over 15 percent in its automobile business. The targeted sustainable growth is accompanied by the specific objectives of delighting and enthusing customers, being an excellent employer, acting as a role model in terms of environmental concerns, safety and integrity, and achieving competitive earning power.

June 28

Volkswagen reaches out-of-court settlements with US federal authorities, private plaintiffs and 44 states in respect of civil actions relating to 2.0 litre TDI diesel variants of the Volkswagen Beetle, Golf, Jetta and Passat models and the Audi A3. The settlement includes buy-backs of vehicle and premature termination of leases, technical modifications and compensation payments for some 475,000 vehicles as well as funding of environmental mitigation measures and the promotion of zero-emissions vehicles in the USA. On October 25th, Volkswagen is granted final approval for the 2.0 litre TDI compensation programme in the USA. On December 20th, Volkswagen concludes an agreement with US environmental agencies to settle civil claims in connection with the approximately 83,000 vehicles fitted with 3 litre V6 TDI diesel engines in the USA. 63,000 vehicles are recalled to service centres, while some 20,000 older-model vehicles are either bought back, have their leases terminated prematurely, or undergo technical modification.

September 7

Volkswagen signs an agreement with the government of Kenya to build the Polo Vivo at the Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers plant. The joint project with importer DT Dobie aims to produce as many as 5,000 Polo Vivos a year starting in 2017, as a means of serving the opportunity market in sub-Saharan Africa from local production. The agreement also includes the establishment of a training centre, with the backing of the German Federal Government, to provide local training of production staff. The centre will later also teach young people general industrial skills as a means of boosting their employment chances in the region. On December 21st, the first vehicle assembled from the CKD kits supplied from South Africa is completed in Thika near the capital Nairobi.

September 28

The visionary “I.D.” concept is presented in Paris, looking ahead to a new highly innovative fleet of electric cars and heralding the coming era of electrification at Volkswagen planned to begin in 2020. Immediately identifiable as a zero-emission vehicle thanks to its special design, the I.D. is powered by a 125 kW electric motor and has a range of 400 to 600 kilometres on one battery charge. In the interior, the Open Space design of this first Volkswagen created on the basis of the Group’s modular electrification kit embodies an entirely new sense of space. The compact electric car is scheduled to activate its fully automated driving mode from 2025 onwards. On January 9, 2017 the Microbus I.D. concept is revealed, featuring a range of up to 600 kilometres and eight seats. The concept electric van realises the goal of offering affordable e-mobility, embodying the new Volkswagen brand claim: “The future comes as standard″. Just three months later, the third member of Volkswagen’s I.D. family, the I.D. Crozz cross-over utility vehicle (CUV), is presented in Shanghai. This marks a further step by Volkswagen towards its strategic goal of selling a million electric cars a year from 2025 onwards.

October 24

The new Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles plant at Września in Poland opens after a construction period of just under two years. Built to produce the new Crafter and the identical-design MAN TGE, an investment of 800 million euros in the 220 hectare site’s construction and its production facilities has created the most modern commercial vehicle factory in Europe, with annual capacity for 100,000 units. When the plant is running at full capacity, its staff of some 3,000 will produce 380 vehicles a day.

November 18

The Management Board and the General Works Council sign a Future Pact which will set the Volkswagen brand on a profitable course for growth. This entails a socially sustainable reduction in the workforce by 23,000 posts, ruling out the option of compulsory redundancies, while creating 9,000 new posts in digitalisation and the new business fields. The 25 percent improvement in productivity, together with an annual 3.7 billion euro boost to earnings from 2020 onwards, and extensive investment in future fields of operation, will establish the preconditions for the Group’s transformation from purely a vehicle manufacturer into a successful mobility services provider in the age of digitalisation and increasing electromobility.

November 22

The Volkswagen brand board adopts the TRANSFORM 2025+ strategy to comprehensively restructure and reposition the brand across all regions and segments with the aim of substantially improving efficiency and productivity. Under the motto “Volkswagen: Moving People Forward”, investments in e-mobility and connectivity aim to enthuse customers, secure future earning power, deliver sustainable mobility and create a new team culture. The reorganisation of the brand entails three phases: By 2020, the core business will have been restructured, new competencies developed, and operations all along the value chain fundamentally transformed. By 2025, Volkswagen is also looking to take the lead in e-mobility with new mobility services and a broader earnings base. After 2025, Volkswagen will seek to decisively shape the expected transformation of the industry and thus, by 2030, attain a leadership role in the new world of automobility.

December 5

The Volkswagen Group’s new mobility services business, MOIA, is established. The independent company, based in Berlin, will link the car to the new world of mobility by devising and marketing mobility services either on its own initiative or in partnership with cities and existing transport systems. In the medium term, MOIA aims to become a top global player among mobility service providers, offering tailored transport solutions worldwide. On October 24, 2016, MOIA was entered in the Register of Companies at the District Court in Charlottenburg.

December 21

The first Volkswagen Polo Vivo rolls off the production line at the newly constructed Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers plant in Thika. A year before, Volkswagen had agreed with its Kenyan import partner DT Dobie to establish an assembly facility with a capacity for 5,000 vehicles a year near the capital Nairobi as part of its Sub-Sahara strategy, aimed at exploiting the potential of the region’s rapidly growth economies. The Polo Vivo CKD kits are supplied from the factory at Uitenhage in South Africa.

The new Tiguan

“Online connected. Offline admired. Access all Areas. The new Tiguan. Always stay connected.” Agency: Grabarz & Partner

Statistics of the Year

2017

January 11

 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft agrees with the US government to settle the criminal cases and environmental protection suits at federal level as well as other civil claims against the company in connection with the diesel issue. The settlement includes the payment of fines and penalties as well as the implementation of an array of measures to improve compliance and enhance its reporting and monitoring systems.

February 28

On procuring the relevant official approvals, Volkswagen Truck & Bus GmbH, Volkswagen AG’s 100 percent subsidiary bundling all the group's commercial vehicle operations, acquires 16.6 percent of the shares in US commercial vehicle manufacturer Navistar International Corporation for 256 million US dollars as part of a capital increase. This provides the Volkswagen Group with access to the important North American market. Under a strategic technology and supply partnership agreement, procurement joint venture Global Truck & Bus Procurement LLC is established in Lisle, Illinois.

March 6

The Volkswagen Group’s vision of level 5 automated driving takes shape with the Sedric (Self-Driving-Car) presented at the Geneva Motor Show. A press of a button is all it takes to start running the vehicle in full electric, fully connected, fully autonomous mode. All the driving functions are executed autonomously – with no steering wheel, pedals or cockpit. The Volkswagen Group concept car conceived, developed and built at the Volkswagen Group Future Center in Potsdam in conjunction with Volkswagen Group Research in Wolfsburg demonstrates the mobility of the future with its new integrated system.

March 10

The new Crafter is launched. The second generation of the versatile van with a gross vehicle weight rating of 3.5 or 5 tonnes and in variants with total lengths of 5986, 6836 and 7391 mm respectively not only provides a comfortable cockpit environment. Its outstanding usability is also based on a load space height of up to 2196 mm and a sliding door opening width of 1311 mm. The 18.4 cubic metre load space capacity also offers plenty of room for large-volume cargo. Available in three roof height versions, as well as a combi and flatbed variant, the panel van offers optimum everyday practicality thanks to numerous driver assistance and safety systems including multi-collision brakes, the Front Assist exterior monitoring system including city emergency braking function, adaptive cruise control (ACC), electromechanical power steering, Lane Assist, a blind spot sensor, and Park Assist. Connectivity includes preparation for a telematics system or the ConnectedVan or Car-Net mobile fleet management system. The Crafter is powered by four economical diesel engines conforming to the Euro 6 emissions standard and developing between 75 kW/102 hp and 130 kW/177 hp. 4MOTION four-wheel drive is available as an option. Prices start from EUR 33,815. The Września plant in Poland produces 36,133 Crafters in 2017.

April 3

Following the remodelling of the ‟Gläserne Manufaktur” glass-fronted manufacturing showcase in Dresden, the first e-Golf rolls off the line, resuming mass production in Dresden after the ending of Phaeton production on March 18th of the previous year. The Gläserne Manufaktur also serves as a customer collection centre for Volkswagen brand electrified models, as well as interactively showcasing the world of e-mobility and digitalisation.

April 21

Under the terms of the settlement agreed with the US government, lawyer Larry Dean Thompson is appointed as an independent Compliance Monitor and Compliance Auditor. Over the next three years, the former US Deputy Attorney General monitors and assesses fulfilment of the terms of the settlement, including the strengthening of compliance and the enhancement of Volkswagen’s reporting and monitoring systems, in order to rule out the possibility of further such violations.

May 15

Sales of the Volkswagen Atlas first presented in 2016 begin in the USA. The new seven-seater mid-size SUV is built at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga. Positioned between the Tiguan and Touareg, it sits in a key segment for Volkswagen on North American markets. Available in two engine variants as a 2.0 litre four-cylinder TSI turbo and a powerful 3.6 litre VR6 petrol unit, developing power outputs of 175 kW/238 hp and 206 kW/280 hp respectively, the model features an eight-speed automatic transmission. The model’s classic proportions and precisely defined lines convey a sense of timelessness and clarity. LED lights imbue the mid-size SUV with a unique visual signature. At 5037 mm in length, 1979 mm wide and 1768 mm high, the Atlas is the biggest Volkswagen model on sale in the USA. A model named the Teramont, identical in design but featuring somewhat differing engine variants, is offered on the Chinese market. Built at the Ningbo plant of joint venture Shanghai Volkswagen, it is subsequently also exported from China to Russia.

June 1

In Berlin, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Chinese manufacturer Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC) sign a 25-year joint venture agreement for the development, production and sale of electric vehicles on the highly competitive Chinese volume market. The joint venture, in which the two partners each hold a 50 percent stake, also begins developing and manufacturing components for New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) and for the advancement of on-board connectivity, as well as developing automotive data services and mobility services. The partnership also provides for the creation of new used car platforms, with all the associated business activities. The third joint venture is aimed at implementing the Volkswagen Group’s electrification strategy in China, where it is targeting sales of 400,000 electric vehicles by the year 2020, increasing to around 1.5 million units five years after that.

June 15

The new Arteon is introduced into the showrooms of Volkswagen dealers in Germany. The new fastback model is positioned at the top end of Volkswagen’s saloon portfolio. The spacious design provides plenty of leg room in the rear as well as boot capacity from 563 to 1557 litres. The premium product launched at Geneva in the spring features a wide range of latest-generation driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control (ACC), predictive dynamic cornering lights and the Emergency Assist feature incorporating upgraded functionality. The cockpit displays and controls are all digital. An Active Info Display with fully digital and programmable instruments is available as an option, as are a head-up display and the new ‟Discover Pro” infotainment system, which features a 9.2 inch glass screen and gesture control. Available with front wheel drive or four-wheel drive, the Arteon integrates comfort, design and sportiness to an unusually high level of symbiosis for the upper mid-size (executive) segment. The Gran Turismo comes with a choice of three engine variants at launch: the two TDI engines developing 110 kW/150 hp and 176 kW/240 hp, and the TSI petrol engine developing 206 kW/280 hp. Prices start from EUR 39,675.

July 27

The Volkswagen Group and its Algerian importer SOVAC S.P.A. open a multi-brand factory in Relizane, 280 kilometres south-west of Algiers, which will be operated by the joint venture SOVAC Production S.P.A. The joint venture agreement signed on November 27, 2016 allots Volkswagen a minority share. The SOVAC Production S.P.A. plant runs four assembly lines capable of outputting 200 units a day of the Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Caddy, Seat Ibiza and Škoda Octavia models. Assembly of the Volkswagen Polo and Škoda Fabia is additionally planned to start soon afterwards. The number of jobs provided by the new factory can be increased from the current level of 550 to as many as 1,800 in the long term. The SOVAC distribution network in Algeria comprises approximately 90 dealerships, which in 2015 sold some 30,000 Volkswagen Group vehicles.

September 11

The ‟Roadmap E” presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show points the way to the future of electromobility. It embodies the commitment to electrify all the Group’s model range by 2030, and to invest substantially in the development of alternative drive technologies, new vehicles, upgrading of plant facilities and workforce qualifications, the charging infrastructure, the sales and aftermarket organisation, as well as in battery technology and manufacture. In parallel, economically successful, low-consumption models based on conventional drive systems will be continually improved in order to fund the transition to e-mobility.

September 29

The sixth generation of the Polo is launched onto the market. The latest edition of the small car – of which more than 14 million units have been sold since it was first launched back in 1975 – offers increased room inside for passengers and luggage thanks to its use of the Volkswagen Group’s transverse mounting kit. Extended in length by 8 centimetres to 4.05 metres, and with a 9 centimetres longer wheelbase, the model’s boot capacity has been increased by a fifth, to 351 litres. The popular small car incorporates an array of features from higher-class Volkswagen models, including a wide range of assistance and comfort systems such as Front Assist, blind spot detection, ACC and multi-collision brakes, as well as state-of-the-art infotainment and – on offer for the first time – a digital cockpit. Coming in a broad range of variants, from the basic Trendline to the "Beats" featuring a specially developed 300 Watt sound system, and offering engines from efficient through to sporty in power outputs from 48 kW/65 hp to 147 kW/200 hp, the Polo is also available for the first time powered by CNG in the TGI version. The price for the basic version of the new Polo in Germany starts from EUR 12,975.

November 16

As part of a campaign in Brazil which will see no fewer than 20 new models launching by 2020, Volkswagen do Brasil presents its new compact, the Virtus, in São Paulo. The 4.48 metre long fastback from the Polo family sets new standards for its class in terms of technology, connectivity, comfort, space and performance. As just one example, the Virtus is the first model in South America to utilise driver assistance systems featuring Artificial Intelligence, developed in cooperation with IT giant IBM. The Virtus’s 2.65 metre wheelbase provides plenty of room for five adults as well as a 521 litre boot capacity. Developed on the basis of the Volkswagen Group’s transverse mounting kit, the Virtus – like the new Polo – is produced at the Anchieta factory, which has recently been modernised at a cost of some 660 million euros.

November 27

With the launch of the T-Roc, Volkswagen expands its SUV range to four models. Built at the Palmela plant in Portugal, the cross-over T-Roc combines the sturdiness of an SUV with the pleasures of a sportily compact hatchback. Featuring easy entry, a raised seat position, outstanding all-round visibility and a generous interior, it combines the benefits of an SUV with the functionality, driving dynamics and technology typical of the Volkswagen brand. A compact SUV, the T-Roc is 4.23 metres long, 1.99 metres wide, and 1.57 metres high. It comfortably provides space for five people, in raised seat positions. It offers 445 litres of luggage capacity, increasing to 1290 litres with the rear seat bench folded down. A choice of six TSI and TDI engines developing between 85 kW/115 hp and 140 kW/190 hp is available at launch. The T-ROC comes in an optional four-wheel drive variant. The T-Roc’s interior features the latest-generation Active Info Display. Other standard features include the Front Assist exterior monitoring system with the City emergency braking function and pedestrian recognition, multi-collision brakes and Lane Assist. T-ROC prices start from EUR 20,390.

The new Arteon

“Made of steel, technology and wow.” “The new Arteon.” Agency: Grabarz & Partner.

The new T-Roc

“Two ways tob e one of a kind.” “Born confident. The new T-Roc.” Agency: DDB Berlin

Statistics of the Year

2018

January 15

Volkswagen starts the new financial year with the world premier of the seventh generation of the Jetta compact saloon in Detroit. Based on the Volkswagen Group’s transverse mounting kit, the relative of the Golf, Tiguan, Atlas and Arteon is launched onto the market in Mexico during the first quarter of the year. This is followed in the second quarter by launch in the USA, where more than 3.2 million of the total 17.5 million units of the model produced have been sold since it was first launched back in 1979. With its dynamic proportions, its now even greater roominess, as well as numerous assistance systems and digital features, including the Active Info Display, the new Jetta is especially well suited to meeting the needs of customers in overseas markets. The coupe styling enables the model to achieve a drag coefficient of 0.27, further enhancing the efficiency of the 110 kW/150 hp 1.4 litre TSI petrol engine. A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, with a completely newly developed eight-speed automatic transmission available as an option. The Jetta is built in Puebla, Mexico, and is not sold on the European market. Its Chinese sister model is marketed subsequently under the name Sagitar.

January 18

Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda is founded in Kigali. The company provides app-based integrated mobility solutions in Rwanda. Starting with a car-sharing service based on around 150 Volkswagen brand vehicles in the capital Kigali, the plan is to establish an additional ride-hailing facility using some 150 vehicles by the end of the year. Further mobility services are planned. The mobility services complement the assembly operation launched on June 27th. Based on the agreement concluded the previous year with long-standing partner for the sale and assembly of vehicles in Africa, CFAO, it provides for an increase in capacity up to 5,000 units per year according to demand. The vehicles for the mobility solutions are all planned to be sourced from local production. The apps are programmed by local start-ups. Almost 60,000 ride-hailing journeys are made in 2019. On October 29, 2019, electromobility comes to West Africa with the launch of the first 50 e-Golfs and 15 charging stations.Through its financial commitment totalling some 20 million US dollars (about 16 million euros), Volkswagen combines conventional industrial production with entirely new mobility services which have strong potential for success in the young and highly digital-friendly country. Volkswagen is thereby also boosting local prospects for employment, knowledge transfer and sustainable growth.

March 8

Based on a resolution by the Group Management Board, the company converts its power plants in Wolfsburg from coal to gas in order to reduce carbon emissions. With an investment of 400 million euros in new gas and steam turbine systems, the power plants at the Wolfsburg location run by VW Kraftwerk GmbH are comprehensively upgraded to combined heat and power operation. At the North/South power plant, a gas and steam turbine system and three hot water boilers will generate 136 megawatts of electric power and 386 megawatts of heat. Adjacent to the West combined heat and power plant, two additional gas and steam turbine systems are being installed to produce 288 megawatts of electric power and 265 megawatts of heat. Once commissioned into operation in autumn 2022, the power plants will save about 1 million tonnes of CO₂ a year.

April 12

Volkswagen Truck & Bus and Hino Motors Ltd., one of the leading truck and bus manufacturers in Asia, sign a strategic cooperation agreement. An Alliance Board established as a result investigates the possibilities for cooperation in future logistics and transport operations and in procurement, with the aim of expanding the global presence of the business and growing its product portfolio. The potential technology cooperation relates to conventional drive trains, hybrid and electric drive systems, as well as to the fields of connectivity and autonomous driving.

April 12

Herbert Diess becomes Chairman of the Management Board. As part of the management restructuring, Gunnar Kilian and Porsche CEO Oliver Blume join the Management Board. Gunnar Kilian is assigned responsibility for human resources and organisation. The CEOs of the brand groups additionally take on Volkswagen Group management roles.

April 24

The latest generation of the Lavida, the best-selling saloon car in China, premiers at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show. The updated model features a clear design language, and offers significantly more space. The Lavida is based on the Volkswagen Group’s transverse mounting kit, utilising its strengths in creating flexibility for the production of both small and large vehicles featuring conventional combustion engines or alternative drive systems in combination with state-of-the-art infotainment, assistance and safety systems.

13 June

Volkswagen AG accepts the imposition of a 1 billion euro fine by the state prosecutor’s office in Braunschweig relating to violation of the duty of care on the part of the company’s Engine Development department in connection with the diesel crisis. Volkswagen thereby admits its responsibility for the diesel crisis, and regards it as a further essential step in overcoming it.

June 22

With the opening of the second plant in Foshan, China, the Volkswagen Group doubles its production capacity at the location to 600,000 vehicles a year. To serve the dynamic growth in the SUV market, following on from the start of production of the T-Roc in April the facility also begins building the Audi Q2L later in the year. At the same time, the new factory establishes the infrastructure to implement the company’s e-mobility strategy in China. The Foshan plant is intended to produce the most state-of-the-art electric vehicles of the Volkswagen and Audi brands. Production of MEB battery systems is also started at the Foshan location. The plan is produce 1.5 million New Electric Vehicles (NEVs) a year in China from 2025 onwards.

June 24

The I.D. R Pikes Peak – the sporty forerunner of the all-electric I.D. family – rewrites motorsport history with its record run in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Volkswagen’s 500 kW/680 hp electric race car, which including its battery cells weighs less than 1100 kilograms, sets a new overall record with a time of 7:57.148 over the 19.99 kilometre climb, with its 156 bends.

June 26

An entry is made in the Register of Companies at the Munich District Court transforming Volkswagen Truck & Bus GmbH into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), so enabling the commercial vehicles business unit to set its sights on a stock market listing. To further enhance efficiency and innovation, MAN, Scania, South American subsidiary Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and RIO, the global digital transport services brand, are brought together under a single umbrella. On August 30th, the company announces the renaming into TRATON GROUP. The new name is intended to further strengthen the sense of shared identity and underscore the unique character of the business. TRATON stands for the values of determination, integrity, respect, customer orientation and team spirit.

June 27

At the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, Volkswagen delivers the first vehicle of the third-generation Touareg featuring a 3 litre V6 TDI engine conforming to the new Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. The Touareg, presented to its global public on March 23rd in Beijing, underpins Volkswagen’s claim to be maintaining its success story after having produced around a million units of the luxury-class SUV. Designed to provide high levels of comfort, the new flagship model’s innovative control, comfort and safety systems and the high standards of its materials and workmanship secure it a leading position in the luxury-class SUV segment. The fully digital Innovision cockpit is also premiered in the new Touareg. The new Touareg is launched with a wide array of assistance, driving dynamics and comfort systems, including Nightvision, active all-wheel steering, and a head-up display projected directly onto the windscreen. Now 4878 mm long and 1984 mm wide, the third-generation Touareg offers its occupants even more space than before. Luggage capacity has also been increased, offering 810 litres against the previous 697 litres with the rear seat bench upright. It initially comes in a choice of two V6 diesel engine variants developing 170 kW/231 hp and 210 kW/286 hp respectively. A 250 kW/340 hp V6 petrol engine and a 310 kW/421 hp V8 turbodiesel follow later. A new plug-in hybrid drive with 270 kW/367 hp of system power output will be launched initially in China. Prices start from EUR 60,675.

August 31

Volkswagen signs letters of intent with representatives of the Ghanaian and Nigerian governments to construct assembly plants in each of those countries. By this, Volkswagen intends to build on the promising development opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to assembly capacities, the agreements concluded also cover sales and service networks as well as training facilities for the Production and After-Sales functions. The Ghanaian government , for its part, is looking to reform its automotive sector, preferentially by procuring vehicles for assembly locally in Ghana. Nigeria's long-term goal is to become the automotive hub on the west coast of Africa.

September 14

With the opening of the FAW-Volkswagen vehicle plants in Qingdao and Tianjin and the Volkswagen FAW Platform Tianjin Branch component plant, Volkswagen enhances its supply capabilities in China. The FAW-Volkswagen Tianjin plant alone, which went into operation in late August, is capable of producing 300,000 SUVs a year to serve the increased demand in that segment. The Qingdao plant will in future be producing electric vehicles alongside combustion-engined cars.

September 28

The Volkswagen Supervisory Board approves the strategic partnership with computer giant Microsoft for joint development of the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud. This will boost Volkswagen's digital transformation, further advancing its position as a mobility services provider with a fully connected vehicle fleet and the Volkswagen We digital eco-system.

October 25

Volkswagen's new small cross-over SUV, the T-Cross, is premiered globally with launch events on the same day in Amsterdam, Shanghai and São Paulo. The urban cross-over, in its masculine design, launches with three turbo-powered petrol engines featuring power outputs ranging from 70 kW/95 hp to 110 kW/150 hp and a turbo-diesel developing 70 kW/95 hp, all complying with the Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. At a total length of 4.11 metres and with a 2.56 metre wheelbase, the five-seater is designed for urban motoring yet is spacious as well, and is targeted mainly at city-dwellers all around the world. Its load space has a capacity of 455 litres, rising to as much as 1,281 litres with the rear seat back fully folded down. Wide-ranging driver assistance systems and connectivity options are available, providing both safety and digital convenience. The model is being built in Spain, South America and China. Prices start from EUR 17,975.

November 15

The Volkswagen brand presents its new SUV models, the Tayron and Tharu, to the Chinese public at the Guangzhou motor show. The Tayron, launched onto the Chinese market in late October, targets the mid to luxury class SUV segment, while the 4.45 metre long Tharu built by SAIC VOLKSWAGEN is a compact model. Volkswagen thus provides a full offering across all SUV classes.

November 16

The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG approves future investment totalling almost 44 billion euros in the fields of electromobility, autonomous driving, new mobility services and the digitalisation of its vehicles and manufacturing plants, in a move to boost its rate of innovation. At the same time, the Group is striving to further improve earnings from all its brands and divisions in order to finance future activity from its own resources. To improve efficiency, the Group is bundling product families at specific individual plants. Generally, the Group will rely on multi-brand manufacturing facilities as a means of enhancing its competitiveness, with an additional such location being planned for Eastern Europe. From 2022 onwards, the Volkswagen plants at Emden and Hanover in Germany will join Zwickau in becoming all-electric vehicle manufacturing facilities.

December 14

As a further step in its progress towards autonomous driving, Volkswagen consolidates its intelligent driver assistance technologies under the new umbrella brand name IQ.DRIVE. At the same time, existing technological developments are promoted and marketed more intensively through an international IQ.DRIVE campaign to teach Volkswagen customers more about their practical assistance features and arouse their interest looking ahead to the introduction of future offers.

December 14

The annual general meeting of TRATON AG passes a resolution to transform the company into a Societa Europaea (SE) under European company law. This will give stronger expression to the Commercial Vehicles group's international identity, as well as preparing the ground for its planned stock market listing. The change is entered in the Register of Companies at the Munich District Court on January 17, 2019.