VW – Page 3273 – I wish I had more to offer

Volkswagen says its battery supplies are secure

Despite its plans to become the biggest EV-maker in the world by 2023, Volkswagen says it won't be affected by the tightening battery supplies that have roiled the industry, including Audi, the company's Volkswagen Group partner.

VW plans to build up to 3 million all-electric vehicles a year by 2025 and plans to produce 22 million EVs in total by 2027. It has secured $50 billion in battery contracts with Korea's LG Chem, Samsung, and SK Innovation, as well as China's CATL for battery supplies. VW also invested 1 billion euros in Swedish startup battery supplier Northvolt, which plans to build the largest battery factory in Europe.

“I can confirm that for the first years of our plan, a sufficient supply of cells has been contractually secured,” said Thomas Ulbrich, VW board member in charge of electric mobility. “We have the contracts so no one is going to stand there and tell us 'we are not going to supply you any more,'” he told Automotive News Europe (subscription required.) He confirmed that plan runs through 2023.

After that, he said, “You will likely see us permanently in negotiations for cells for the next three to five years.”

In May, Bloomberg reported that Samsung cut its supply agreement with Volkswagen over disagreements about timing.

As automakers around the world ramp up their production of electric cars, mining for battery chemicals has not kept pace. And Volkswagen, as one of the world's largest automakers making the transition from building gasoline and diesel cars to focusing on electrics, has become ground zero for concerns over battery supplies. Volkswagen's plans alone call for more than 300 gigawatt-hours of battery capacity over the next 10 years, which outstrips the total global supply.

Volkswagen ID Vizzion Concept

Hyundai has expressed concern over battery supplies as waiting lists for its Kona Electric stretched for over a year in Europe due to battery shortages.

Tesla, too has said that supplies of raw materials for batteries are one of its major concerns for the future, and has said that production constraints from its battery supplier, Panasonic, have held up production of its mass-market Model 3.

The U.S. has put battery materials such as lithium and cobalt on its list of critical minerals to be developed in the U.S. to shield the country from competitive supply concerns.

Ulbrich took one parting shot at battery suppliers in his comments about Volkswagen supplies. “They probably hoped to maintain an oligopoly for a very long time,” Ulbrich said. “That's not possible.”

BMW accelerates EVs, VW secures batteries, Rivian plans more gear: Today’s Car News

BMW accelerated its electric-car plans by two years. Volkswagen says its battery supplies are secure. Rivian reveals more plans for lifestyle gear. And our readers weigh in on electric Hummers. All this and more on Green Car Reports.

At an event in Germany on Tuesday, BMW announced that it is pulling forward its plans to electrify its products by two years and focusing more on pure electric cars.

Despite shortages of batteries and battery materials beginning to roil the EV industry, Volkswagen, the automaker with the largest-scale plans for EVs says its contracts will guarantee it has enough batteries through 2023.

Rivian confirmed that it has more plans for accessories to fit in the R1T pickup's “gear tunnel” and that it intends to make smaller, more affordable models in the future.

Results from last week's Twitter poll show that GCR readers broadly support GM reviving the Hummer brand in all-electric form.

An Apple patent reveals a system to allow remote-control drivers to take over autonomous cars to get to a hospital faster in a medical emergency.

Finally, new headlights earned the 2019 Hyundai Tucson a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.

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UPDATE 2-Tesla’s top production executive at Fremont facility quits – source

FILE PHOTO: The Tesla factory is seen in Fremont, California, U.S. June 22, 2018. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo (Reuters) – Tesla Inc’s vice president of production at its Fremont factory, Peter Hochholdinger, has left after three years with the electric-car maker, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. He was the second in command of… Continue reading UPDATE 2-Tesla’s top production executive at Fremont facility quits – source

China’s Didi Chuxing to expand partnership with automaker GAC Group

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing said on Wednesday it would expand its partnership with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd (GAC Group) to areas such as ride-hailing operations and autonomous driving. China’s largest ride-hailing firm and Guangzhou-based GAC Group will work on fleet expansion and management, development of new mobility products, and collaboration on smart driving,… Continue reading China’s Didi Chuxing to expand partnership with automaker GAC Group

Phones Off. Engines On. #GoneDriving

1. All information offered on Porsche Newsroom, including but not limited to, texts, images, audio and video documents, are subject to copyright or other legislation for the protection of intellectual property. They are intended exclusively for use by journalists as a source for their own media reporting and are not intended for commercial use, in… Continue reading Phones Off. Engines On. #GoneDriving

Traton expected to price toward lower end of range: sources

FILE PHOTO: Visitors stand at the booth of Volkswagen’s truck unit Traton Group, former Volkswagen Truck & Bus AG, in Hanover, Germany September 19, 2018. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Volkswagen’s truck unit Traton is expected to price toward the lower end of the marketing range in this week’s initial public offering, people close… Continue reading Traton expected to price toward lower end of range: sources

Driverless cars are ‘a little bit in the distance’ says Ford heiress – ArabianBusiness.com

The era of the driverless cars dominating our roads is still some time away, according to Elena Ford, the heiress to the legendary American carmaker told Arabian Business in an interview. “I think at this point that is a little bit in the distance,” Ford said in a phone interview when asked when she thought… Continue reading Driverless cars are ‘a little bit in the distance’ says Ford heiress – ArabianBusiness.com

Taken to the next level: new edition of the Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 is getting an all-round update – both visually and technically. The large SUV features the new design of the Q family and offers superb dynamics and excellent comfort, in addition to its superior spaciousness. Mild hybrid technology, the digital operating concept and the optional HD Matrix LED headlights including laser light are… Continue reading Taken to the next level: new edition of the Audi Q7

Porsche reveals insurance program: At ease, Taycan electric-car buyers

By the time the 2020 Porsche Taycan launches late this year, Porsche owners in three states will likely be able to choose a new kind of per-mile insurance offered through the sports-car brand.

Especially for those planning to make a leap to the Taycan, it could amount to some peace of mind. For those new to electric cars, insurance can often be a bit of a rude awakening.

Yes, in terms of maintenance, energy costs, and wearable items like brake pads, EVs are cheaper and involve less hassle. But wildly varied electric-vehicle claims rates have left insurers to take a conservative tack with EVs, resulting in some steep rate hikes. The most noteworthy of those was in 2017, when AAA looked at its own data and that from the insurer-funded Highway Loss Data Institute and, despite stellar safety ratings, decided to raise rates on the Tesla Model S and Model X by 30 percent.

2013 Tesla Model S crash test by NHTSA (Image: crashnet1 Youtube screen grab)

Tesla, which recently started offering leases, will soon also launch its own insurance product in which it might share data from its vehicles and Autopilot sensors.

The Porsche insurance program, administered in partnership with Mile Auto and Porsche Financial Services, doesn’t involve the collection of the vehicle’s location, or when and how it’s driven. Mile Auto’s solution simply involves submitting a photo of the vehicle odometer at regular intervals.

“No other information is collected from the vehicle or customer,” Porsche Financial Services assured Green Car Reports.

Porsche Taycan prototype

Although the timing of the program is perfect for those electric-vehicle concerns, Porsche says that the program was developed independent of the Taycan launch. It will cover the Taycan as well as every Porsche model going back to the 1981 model year.

Porsche Financial Services is the captive finance provider for Porsche as well as Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.

There’s one big “if” to this program: So far, you need to be in Illinois and Oregon this year, although Porsche aims to offer it in a third state by the end of the year. Rollout of the program to more states remains under evaluation; but given Porsche's plans to embrace electric with more models in the near future, it's an extra bit of assurance.

thyssenkrupp invests 60 million euros on industrialization of new damper technology

ESSEN, 25-Jun-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — thyssenkrupp opened a new automotive components plant in Sibiu, Romania which will produce dampers for customers including Daimler, Jaguar Land Rover and Porsche. thyssenkrupp invested around 60 million euros to build the new damper site.

“This is an investment not only in the targeted expansion of our European production network but also in newly obtained customer projects and new technologies. In Sibiu we will manufacture dampers to the highest technical standards for installation in our customers’ premium models. At the same time we are in the process of industrializing an entirely new generation of dampers for highly automated intelligent chassis systems,” commented Dr. Karsten Kroos, CEO of thyssenkrupp’s automotive division.

Active dampers of this kind provide an extremely smooth and comfortable driving experience by responding proactively to counter the forces acting on the chassis.

The new plant is an extension to the existing production site. thyssenkrupp produces both components and complete damper systems for automotive OEMs and aftermarket suppliers. The company’s investment in the new site has created more than 350 new jobs at the Sibiu location, which now employs around 1,000 people. thyssenkrupp has been producing dampers in Sibiu since 1996.

thyssenkrupp is one of the best-established manufacturers of damper systems. The company produces and markets chassis components under the Bilstein brand at eight locations in Europe, the USA and China. The damper business is part of thyssenkrupp’s components division, which produces high-tech components for the automotive and machinery sectors with over 34,000 employees worldwide. Its Components Technology business area achieved sales of around 7.9 billion euros in fiscal year 2017/2018.

Media contact:

Konrad Boecker
Components Technology Head of Communications and Press Office
Telephone: +49 201 844 553084
Cell phone: +49 173 8982102

SOURCE: thyssenkrupp AG

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