The SSP platform refers to the Volkswagen Trinity project, which will spawn the first mainstream model based on the architecture. It was originally planned to be produced at a new facility on the Wolfsburg grounds, but – having been delayed by two to three years under new brand head Schäfer – it may now be tacked onto the plant’s main assembly line.
The Volkswagen Group board recently met to decide the fate of the Wolfsburg extension, reported German trade newspaper Handelsblatt. In response to the report, Volkswagen said it will speed up its shift to electric cars – reorganising its production network in turn – and that more details will be presented at the company’s annual conference on 14 March 2023.
Read more: Decision imminent on future of €2bn VW Trinity factory
Christian Vollmer, Volkswagen brand board member for production and logistics, said: “Wolfsburg is special in that ICE vehicles will also still be built here for many years to come. In other words: for Wolfsburg, the upcoming transformation is first and foremost about integration – interfacing smoothly with ongoing operations and with production. That is a very special challenge.”
Maintaining ICE production at Wolfsburg is likely to be key to protecting jobs at the plant. Several influential figures in the automotive industry, including Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, have warned that electrification threatens the future of many factories.