Stolen car keys VW files criminal complaint against Greenpeace

Status: 23.06.2021 3:09 p.m.

A Greenpeace campaign in which 100 stolen VW keys were brought to the Zugspitze has legal consequences: the Volkswagen Group has filed a criminal complaint against the environmental protection organization. Around a month after the Greenpeace campaign against Volkswagen in the port of Emden, the car manufacturer took action and filed a criminal complaint against Greenpeace. “We do not tolerate any violations of the law”said a VW spokeswoman in Emden. However, she emphasized that VW was still interested in a dialogue with the environmental protection organization. The criminal complaint suggests a change of heart among the Wolfsburgers: Initially, they reacted surprisingly moderately to the Greenpeace campaign at the end of May and initially waived a criminal complaint.

First of all, understanding and loose tweets

In order to protest against what they considered to be the slow change to electromobility at VW, the activists climbed over a fence onto a loading area in the port of Emden and removed the ignition keys from unlocked cars that were ready for shipping overseas. Shortly afterwards, the organization brought the keys to a glacier on the Zugspitze in Bavaria. There she was supposed to pick up VW boss Herbert Diess after her introduction.

Instead of directly filing a criminal complaint, Diess replied loosely on Twitter: “Gladly Zugspitze, but today I can’t manage anymore – I don’t want to use the plane. Coming soon in good weather?” And VW brand boss Ralf Brandstätter expressed understanding in a detailed comment on the action on his LinkedIn profile that “change is not going fast enough for many”.

Investigations are already running ex officio

Theft as part of the climate debate culture? The public prosecutor and the police had already seen it a little differently before the change of heart at VW: They are already investigating ex officio against around a dozen activists on charges of trespassing and particularly serious theft. In order to initiate criminal prosecution, today’s criminal complaint from VW would no longer have been necessary.

Investigations also after Greenpeace action at the EM

Last week, a Greenpeace campaign directed against VW failed at the German national soccer team’s first EM game. Shortly before the game against France kicked off, a paramotor plane staggered over the Munich arena and finally landed on the field. He came dangerously close to the audience, two men had to be hospitalized because of their injuries.

Numerous politicians condemned the action in the strongest possible terms. The police are investigating various offenses under the Criminal Code and the Aviation Act

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VW factory in Emden When 8,000 employees have to rethink

Status: 19.06.2021 10:18 a.m.

In the future, only electric cars will roll off the assembly line at the VW plant in Emden. This means billions in costs for the group – and many changes for the employees. And some jobs will probably disappear.

From Sebastian Duden, NDR

“What is that again?” Andreas Buse looks at his trainer questioningly and points to a magnetic picture that he should hang in the right place on a board. “This is the heater for the battery, which is also in the front of the vehicle.” It is about basic knowledge of the new electric cars that are to be built here at the Volkswagen plant in Emden from 2022. All 8,000 employees at the site go through the training.

It doesn’t work without a plug

It will be more special for the production staff at the next station. Buse has to be even more careful. This is about plugs. He’s trying to build a cable to an electric car charger. It doesn’t work, and he has to find the problem. “Ah, okay, a pin is bent, that’s why it doesn’t work.” His instructor nods. “So don’t just check the connector, but always look at the component to see if nothing is bent.” Plugs – they will be even more important in the future, so they have already been. Without a plug there is no flow of electricity, and then they cannot even drive the cars out of the hall. “To know that the vehicle cannot be delivered at all and that a fault then has to be laboriously searched for, that is something I have great respect for,” says Buse.

No oil, no engine compartment

One hall further is the ID.4 – the electric car that will roll off the assembly line here from 2022. It’s an SUV, weighing more than two tons. Much of the weight is caused by the large battery. Depending on the model, the ID.4 should travel up to 500 kilometers.

“The dipstick is no longer there, oily fingers, the time is over,” says project manager Hanno Greune. He opens the “bonnet” of the car, which actually doesn’t deserve the name anymore, because you won’t find an engine here. That is not much more than a “technical room”, he admits, there are now fans and heaters, for example. “In our vehicles, the engine is on the rear axle,” says Greune. He points to a plain black cover in the trunk. Underneath is a comparatively small unit – about the size of a sports bag.

So far mainly the location for the production of the VW Passat, in a few years pure electrical work: the factory in Emden. Image: picture alliance / Jochen Tack

The VW plant in Emden is already the size of an entire district. It is now being expanded again towards the Ems. For this purpose, foundation piles had to be driven 30 meters deep into the muddy subsoil. The largest hall has 45,000 square meters. A total of six new halls and logistics buildings will be added. The expansion will cost one billion euros. “The renovation is the most massive that the site has ever gone through,” says plant manager Uwe Schwartz. “We are massively involved in all structures. We are creating more than 100,000 square meters of new space.” Schwartz was brought in specially for the renovation. Before he headed the planning staff at the main plant in Wolfsburg, now he can implement the ideas developed there on site.

Simpler technology, fewer jobs

Volkswagen relies entirely on electric drives. The conversion should be a clear commitment to electric drive – even if experts can imagine other drive types in the future, for example in combination with synthetic fuels. For a transitional phase of three years, VW wants to build cars with internal combustion engines in Emden at the same time.

“Emden is the first location in Lower Saxony that will then be completely converted to vehicles with electric drives,” says Schwartz. Up to now, the “Passat” models in particular have rolled off the production line at the plant. Electric vehicles, however, have a much simpler drive than petrol and diesel. Most of them not only have more complex engines, but also finely graduated gears and gearshifts. All of that is missing in an electric car. As a result, manufacturers actually need fewer employees to build them.

Fewer employees needed to build e-cars

The works council in Emden sees the problem and expects the loss of some jobs. However, new employees are also needed elsewhere, says Works Council Chairman Manfred Wulff. For example in digitization. “We still need bodies that have to be pressed and painted, so we won’t lose a lot of work. The fact that we no longer have the classic engine will be eliminated.”

Experts predict that in the worst case scenario, it could hit a third of those employed in vehicle construction during the transformation phase. But they see it differently in the works council in Emden. There they even wished to switch over to electric car construction as quickly as possible. After all, the sales figures for the classic VW models have not developed positively. The alternative would have been to build more models with internal combustion engines at the Emden location in order to utilize the capacities. Then it would be better to have a clear future perspective, according to the works council. This is how Andreas Buse sees it, who is now back on the production line and wiring the engine compartment of the Passat and Arteon models. “Sure, there will be restructuring, but I’m not afraid of it.” Many of his colleagues will probably go into partial retirement in the course of the restructuring. However, he is only 32 years old. And he is also looking forward to the changes. Even if he will miss the Passat, as he admits when asked

Missing computer chips Short-time work at VW and Daimler

Status: 16.06.2021 10:23 a.m.

Time and again, the production lines in car plants stand still – the manufacturers refer to the industry-wide shortage of chips. Now it hits Volkswagen and Daimler again. When will the situation improve? From Angela Göpfert, tagesschau.de There will be stoppages in the coming week at the VW main plant. In the Tiguan, Touran and Tarraco production as well as in the Golf production in the late and night shifts, the Wolfsburg switch to short-time work. In the Daimler plants in Bremen and Rastatt, short-time work is already the order of the day. The reason is once again the industry-wide shortage of chips.

06/08/2021

Interruptions cost billions

It is nowhere near the first time that the shortage of semiconductors has slowed automakers’ production. It was not until the end of May that the VW luxury subsidiary Audi at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm locations suffered production interruptions. BMW had been hit a few weeks earlier. The Ford plant in Cologne is also affected. The German auto industry is not alone with its problems: The US auto giant Ford calculates charges of around 2.5 billion dollars this year due to the lack of chips. The problems in the automotive industry have consequences for the entire economy. Just today, the researchers at the Munich Ifo Institute lowered their forecast for the growth of the German gross domestic product this year from 3.7 to 3.3 percent. To justify this, they also referred to bottlenecks in the delivery of intermediate products such as semiconductors.

Improvement in the third quarter?

It could take a few more weeks for a change for the better. According to experts, the automotive industry is heading for the lowest point. “We are facing the toughest six weeks,” said Murat Aksel, VW Board Member for Purchasing, recently in an interview with the “Handelsblatt”. The situation should improve again in the third quarter. Competitor Daimler also expects an improvement in the second half of the year. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) also estimates that the situation should ease from July.

Around four million cars less

Because of the lack of chips, automakers worldwide produced 1.4 million fewer cars in the first quarter and 1.6 million in the second quarter, the BCG experts calculate. For the entire year 2021, the failures are likely to amount to four to six million vehicles.

05/04/2021

The consulting firm Alix Partners in Munich estimates 3.9 million cars. This corresponds to a value of non-produced cars of around 91 billion euros.

Lessons from the shortage of chips

The car manufacturers have long since learned their lessons from the shortage of chips: They are carefully reviewing their supply chains and are not only expanding their warehousing for chips. After all, the supply chains have thinned out after a pandemic for more than a year, even for important intermediate products, for example in the chemical industry.

06/07/2021

Security of supply is suddenly a priority again after years of just-in-time delivery. Chip manufacturers are also taking strong countermeasures and are pushing ahead with expanding their capacities at full speed. In Germany, the new high-tech chip factory from Bosch ensure regional supplies.

Misjudgments as the cause

But how did it come to that? Where does this lack of chips come from, which is currently keeping the auto industry and its employees in suspense? With the outbreak of the corona pandemic, demand for cars collapsed and chip manufacturers cut their production plans.

05/31/2021

When the demand for new vehicles suddenly increased surprisingly in the summer of 2020, chip manufacturers such as Infineon or NXP were overwhelmed by the demand. The current chip shortage is therefore based on a whole series of misjudgments – on the part of car manufacturers and suppliers, but also on the part of chip manufacturers. The lack of chips also shows that the auto industry did not come through the Corona crisis as badly as feared.

Especially for consumers who are going to buy a three-row SUV, among the Volkswagen models with a price range of 300,000 to 400,000, should they choose the fledgling scene or the Tuon that has been in the market for many years?

To this end, we selected the 2021 380TSI four-wheel drive R-Line extension version with a pre-sale price of 345,000 yuan, and compare it with the 2021 380TSI four-wheel drive luxury version of Touron, which is priced at 342,000 yuan. Take a look at these two models. For models with a price difference of only 3,000 yuan, who can be better in this dialogue between North and South Volkswagen.

From the appearance point of view, the front face design of Lanjing has a strong sense of hierarchy. The front surround is decorated with a lot of chrome elements. The side of the body looks very slender. The rear part uses a lot of horizontal lines. The upper part is a through-type taillight. There is a distinct sense of layering.

The mid-term facelift of the Touron adopts a new front face design. The overall outline of the headlights has changed significantly. The interior is upgraded to IQ.Light full LED matrix headlights. The penetrating LED light strips and the flat Volkswagen LOGO in the center of the front can also be used. Lights up, it feels like a new energy vehicle.

The taillights of Touron use the same through-type design as the headlights, and the central LOGO can also be lit. With the design of running water turn signals and through-type chrome bars, the texture has been significantly improved.

In terms of the wheelbase of the vehicle body, the length, width and height of Lanjing is 5152/2002/1795mm, and the wheelbase is 2980mm; the length, width and height of Tuon is 5052/1989/1773mm, and the wheelbase is 2980mm. In contrast, the landscape is better than Tuon.

Embellishment pictures

Tuang Interior Pictures

In the interior, the full LCD instrument panel is used in the interior, with a floating central control multimedia touch screen. The three-spoke multi-function steering wheel and the lever-type electronic shift mechanism are matched with each other, and the level of the central control is well-prepared. The platform design further enhances the sense of technology and luxury in the car.

In contrast, Touron’s interior is consistent with the old model. The classic Volkswagen family design makes people unable to pick out too many faults.

In terms of power, Lanjing is equipped with a 2.0T engine of model EA888-DPL, which is consistent with Touron. Among them, the 330TSI version has a maximum power of 186 horsepower and a peak torque of 320 N·m; the 380TSI version has a maximum power of 220 horsepower and a peak torque of 350 N·m, and the engine is matched with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. box.

The difference is that the official zero-hundred acceleration of the 380TSI four-wheel drive R-Line extension version is 9.2 seconds, and the combined fuel consumption of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is 8.6 liters; The fuel consumption is 8.5 liters.

In addition, in terms of configuration, although this selection is more expensive than the route, it also has additional functions such as merging assistance, lane departure warning, active braking, and steering wheel shifting.

Say a few more words

In general, through comparison, Tuon’s biggest advantage is that it has a certain consumer base after the market test, while the biggest advantage of Lanjing lies in being younger and more equipped.

To be honest, it was born at the same root. From the perspective of platform architecture and Volkswagen’s two-car strategy, Lanjing and Tourang are targeting the medium and large SUV market with a price range of 300,000 to 400,000 yuan. The volume is full of flavor.

Ex-manager in the diesel scandal 288 million euros in damages for VW

As of: 06/09/2021 4:07 p.m.

The diesel scandal is getting expensive for former VW managers: ex-boss Winterkorn and other former top people have to pay 288 million euros in compensation to Volkswagen – and still expect lawsuits. Former CEO Martin Winterkorn and three other ex-top managers are paying record compensation to Volkswagen because of the diesel scandal. In the final agreement, an amount of just under 288 million euros had been agreed, the company said. However, the majority of the sum is covered by specialized liability insurance.

270 million euros from insurance companies

The former CEO Winterkorn personally pays 11.2 million euros. Ex-Audi boss and VW board member Rupert Stadler is to transfer 4.1 million euros himself. With him and Winterkorn it is about the violation of stock corporation law due diligence. The former Porsche board member Wolfgang Hatz also contributes 1.5 million euros, the former Audi manager Stefan Knirsch 1 million euros. The managers’ insurers generate 270 million euros. In addition to the lawyers of the former managers, more than 30 insurers were involved in the negotiations.

No agreement with Hackenberg

Both the personal payments and the insured coverage would result in “by far the highest sum that such a consortium has ever put on the table in Germany,” said negotiators. VW had also demanded compensation from ex-head of development Ulrich Hackenberg. However, he was not ready to reach an agreement, which is why legal steps should now be prepared against him.

General assembly has to decide

Volkswagen decided in March to hold Winterkorn, Stadler and other former executives in the group financially responsible for breaches of stock corporation law during the diesel scandal. The payments, which have now been agreed with the ex-managers, could put a provisional end in the years of processing individual responsibilities in the emissions affair. VW announced that the supervisory board had already approved the agreement on Saturday. The final decision still has to be made by the general meeting, which will be convened for July 22nd.

Charge of false testimony

However, the VW group and the ex-managers have agreed on the compensation outside of the civil or criminal litigation. However, further questions have to be clarified before the courts themselves in ongoing or upcoming proceedings. For example, the Berlin public prosecutor’s office brought charges against Winterkorn for making a false statement in the Bundestag’s investigative committee into the emissions affair. The authority announced that he should have “deliberately given false information” to the question at which point in time he was informed about the use of software to manipulate the emission values. Winterkorn also has to answer before the Regional Court of Braunschweig – because of the diesel scandal itself. There it is a charge of commercial and gang fraud. Winterkorn has already rejected the allegation.

So far, the scandal has cost VW 32 billion euros

The diesel scandal caught up with Volkswagen and other German car manufacturers in autumn 2015. VW admitted relatively early on that it had installed software in certain diesel engines that only reduced nitrogen oxide emissions on the test bench, but not in road traffic. There have been several trials around the world. Consumer advocates also dealt with the origin of the scandal. As a result, VW had to pay compensation and court costs of around 32 billion euros.

That means if the autonomous feature is needed, car owners can activate it and pay for it. Currently, any car connected to the internet can receive software updates, similar to electronic devices like smartphones. Even with just one software upgrade, the range of an electric vehicle can be dramatically increased. Existing platforms make Volkswagen’s head of sales and marketing Klaus Zellmer think the group can exploit that way of working to give customers more freedom in the use of their vehicles. Instead of letting customers choose the equipment, Volkswagen will assemble the car with everything but disable them with software. When there is a need to use it, customers spend more money to rent that feature under a monthly or yearly subscription package. To visualize, Zellmer used the example of Level 4 autonomous mode expected on VW vehicles in the future. As soon as this almost the highest self-driving feature is officially adopted and widely used, many people probably still do not believe it and do not use it. So they won’t have to spend money. As for car owners in need, Zellmer shared that they may need to pay about 7 euros, about $ 8.5, per hour to be able to use the level 4 autonomous feature.

This is part of the agreement the two signed last Friday. The deal will see JD become the latest Chinese Internet company to join the smart electrification craze that is transforming the auto industry day by day. Enovate said both sides will also work on digital marketing to get the startup up and running as soon as possible. “We will share resources in a number of different aspects, from branding and products to users and channels of distribution and consumption,” said Yu Songyao, senior executive at Enovate. . A new energy Enovate sedan attracts the attention of visitors at the Guangzhou auto show. JD, also known as Jingdong and formerly 360buy, is a Chinese e-commerce company headquartered in Beijing. The company is one of two giant B2C retailers in China by transaction volume and revenue, a member of Fortune Global 500. In other words, JD is the 2nd largest e-commerce company in China, just behind Alibaba. Forging partnerships with big internet companies is crucial, analysts say, as the chance to stand out is slimmer for lesser-known startups. Early adopters like Tesla and Nio are gaining ground, traditional carmakers including Volkswagen are also launching their own electric cars, so the door for latecomers is closing. quickly, must really try and be quick. Statistics show that Nio sold 20,060 vehicles in the first three months of this year, up 422.7 percent year-on-year. Volkswagen said it expects to sell 100,000 electric vehicles in China this year. Late last month, Nezha, another little-known electric car startup, announced a partnership with Chinese internet security company Qihoo 360. The company will become the second largest shareholder as it leads Nezha’s 3 billion yuan ($467 million) Series D fundraising effort. According to analysts, Internet security is becoming an essential issue as vehicles get smarter and 360 Security is seeking this investment to open up a platform for its products. on smart cars. Nezha CEO Zhang Yong said Qihoo 360 will provide the startup with technical help and facilitate financing for the company. “For us, the top task now is survival,” Zhang said. Founded in 2014, Nezha has sold more than 35,000 vehicles across its two car models. The company’s sales in the first quarter of 2021 increased fivefold, to more than 7,400 vehicles. Optional Toyota “knock down” Hyundai from the top position in the electric vehicle market

Today, chips are in everything from PlayStation 5s and toothbrushes to washing machines and alarm clocks, and chip shortages have led some to call the current crisis “chipageddon” — chip shortages computers globally. Glenn O’Donnell, vice president of research at consulting firm Forrester, believes chip shortages could last until 2023. “As demand will remain high and supply will remain constrained, we anticipate this shortfall to last through 2022 and into 2023,” he wrote on a blog. O’Donnell expects PC demand to “slightly drop” next year, but “not much.” “Combine that with the desire to digitize everything with the continued growth in cloud computing and crypto mining, and we see nothing but a short burst of chip demand,” O. ‘ said Donnell. Meanwhile, Patrick Armstrong, CEO of Plurimi Investment Managers, said last week that the chip shortage will last 18 months. “It’s not just cars. That’s the phone. It is the internet of things (IoT). There are more chip-based gadgets now than ever before. All of them are internet enabled.” The car industry has been affected by the global chip shortage more than any other sector. The world’s largest chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) said earlier this month that it thinks its production will be able to catch up with auto demand by June. , Armstrong believed it was an ambitious plan. “Ford, BMW, Volkswagen all emphasized that there were capacity bottlenecks and they couldn’t get the chips needed to make the new cars,” O’Donell said. In a separate development, global research and consulting firm Gartner said last week that chip shortages will persist through 2021 and that the shortage affects all chip types and chip prices. growing. Gartner analyst Alan Priestley said the situation could improve for some sectors over the next six months, but there could be a “side effect” in 2022. In March, Intel announced plans to spend $20 billion on two new chip factories in Arizona. Intel also said it could build a factory in Europe if funding is arranged. “Those plans will take two or three years before we start to see that. But that’s really looking forward to meeting future demand,” said analyst Priestley. Wenzhe Zhao, director of global economics and strategy at Credit Suisse said in a note last week that recent chip shortages have encouraged inventory hoarding along the chip production chain, widening the gap. between expanding demand and stagnant supply. Mr. Zhao said that new semiconductor production capacity will not take place until 2022 or later, and the problem of solving the current shortage besides adjusting the order book, production schedule and price is very difficult.

The shortage of chips is the biggest challenge that this business is facing, Griffiths said. Volkswagen logo at a dealership of this company in Hamm, Germany. (Photo: AFP / VNA) Seat’s Martorell factory, located on the outskirts of Barcelona, ​​only makes models that receive chips from suppliers, Griffiths said. Volkswagen expects chip supplies to remain tight in the coming months. Last month, Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess said it was unable to produce 100,000 cars due to a shortage of chips and it would be difficult to make up for the shortage in 2021. According to Volkswagen, the shortage of chips is exacerbated by a snowstorm in Texas (USA), and major chip manufacturers based in the region have to stop production or reduce production. Therefore, this company cannot rule out the possibility of further adjustments to production activities.

Volkswagen logo at a dealership of this company in Hamm, Germany. Photo: AFP / VNA In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr. Wayne Griffiths, President of Seat brand in Spain, Volkswagen said he had received notification from suppliers as well as from Volkswagen Group about the significant challenges in the second quarter. could be even more difficult than the first quarter. Mr. Griffiths said that the shortage of chips is the biggest challenge that this business is facing. Seat’s Martorell factory, located on the outskirts of Barcelona, ​​only makes models that have received chips from suppliers, Griffiths said. Volkswagen expects chip supplies to remain tight in the coming months. Last month, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess said the company was unable to produce 100,000 vehicles due to chip shortages and it would be difficult to make up for the shortage in 2021. According to Volkswagen, the shortage of chips is exacerbated by a snowstorm in Texas (USA), and major chip manufacturers based in the region have to stop production or reduce production. Therefore, the firm cannot rule out the possibility of having to make further adjustments to production activities.

From Till Bücker, tagesschau.de Combating climate change is hardly conceivable without electromobility. In order to remain competitive, the German producers are catching up after initial hesitation – especially Volkswagen. “Let me make one thing clear right away: The battery has won the race,” said VW boss Herbert Diess at a recent event. The battery won. It is the “only remaining option to get traffic CO2-free.” The Wolfsburg-based group is relying on the transformation like hardly any other car manufacturer. The company plans to invest around 35 billion euros in the coming years. Around 70 all-electric models are planned by 2030. 60 percent of all new VW cars should then run on batteries.

Electromobility in Germany is making headway

German drivers also seem to be slowly getting involved with e-mobility – among other things, thanks to purchase premiums from the federal government and many new models. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), more than 13 percent of new registrations in 2020 were purely electric cars or plug-in hybrids that are equipped with a combustion engine in addition to the battery. For comparison: in 2016 it was less than one percent. The rise continues this year as well. In March alone, every tenth new car was battery-electric. The market share of cars with alternative drives (battery, hybrid or hydrogen) is currently 37.6 percent and thus higher than ever, as the KBA announced last week. The most popular brand in the first quarter of 2021 is VW. According to its own information, the group currently has a market share in e-mobility of just over 34 percent in this country.

Tesla is the “benchmark”

Despite its top position in its home market, another group is still number one among electric cars worldwide: Tesla. The market share of the California-based automaker, which announced its quarterly figures on Monday evening, fell in Germany from 30 percent in 2019 to nine percent most recently. From a global perspective, however, boss Elon Musk’s company is still ahead. The company sold last year almost half a million e-cars . That was 36 percent more than in the previous year. In the first quarter of 2021, Tesla delivered 184,800 vehicles – a new record. Above all in what is probably the most important market for electric cars in China, the US group has escaped the Germans. Every third Tesla is sold in the People’s Republic. Even on American roads, there is no getting around the electric pioneer when it comes to e-cars with a market share of 80 percent, as the data from the US new registrations show. “Tesla is an important benchmark for us,” Diess recently admitted. The VW boss is an avowed fan of Musk, and he regularly describes his company as the measure of all things in the automotive world. According to the economic sociologist Andreas Boes, who investigated the effects of the Tesla shock on German industry on behalf of IG Metall, Tesla is the harbinger of a new mode of production. The e-car manufacturer gave the decisive impetus for the change in the automotive industry. “The company from California puts its finger in the wound,” said Boes at the Hanover fair.

Tesla with competitive advantages

But what are Tesla’s strengths? What makes Musk & Co. a pioneer? “Tesla has actually set benchmarks in certain areas,” emphasized Stefan Bratzel, Director of the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) at the Bergisch Gladbach University of Applied Sciences, in an interview with tagesschau.de . Without Tesla, electromobility would not have existed at this speed.

Stefan Bratzel is Director of the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) at the Bergisch Gladbach University of Applied Sciences. Image: picture alliance / dpa Competitive advantages are, for example, the competence in battery technology, the control of their superchargers – i.e. fast charging stations – and their reliability. The German carmakers reacted too late on these points, and there are deficits, especially in the area of ​​charging infrastructure. VW only presented its plan in March to build six so-called gigafactories for the production of battery cells and to set up 18,000 public fast charging points. Another great advantage of Tesla is the special vehicle architecture with its own operating systems and chips. Volkswagen, on the other hand, is buying the software. “That puts Tesla in a position to be better than the German competitors,” said the auto expert. Tesla also has a lead in the production area. You manage to pull up plants within a short time and the degree of automation is also higher.

VW can reach the masses

However, when it comes to innovation in the battery-electric field, VW is catching up a lot and is on Tesla’s heels. In addition, the German group also has pluses. With the modular e-drive kit (MEB) he developed a functional system for the production of e-cars, with which, according to Bratzel, a large number of models can be set up: “Volkswagen is a specialist in rolling out such a strategy for different brands, Segments and regions. ” While Tesla offers a rather narrow model range and has long relied on premium products with the Model S and Model X, the VW Group also includes the brands Audi, Porsche, Skoda and Seat in addition to its own models such as the ID. “VW sometimes takes a little longer to implement an innovation, but can then quickly bring it to the masses via the series,” says Bratzel. The Wolfsburg-based company intends to sell more than a million e-cars annually worldwide by 2025 – including medium and compact classes. Another trump card: VW already has a global production network. Tesla is also trying to build up that – among other things through the new plant in Grünheide – but is still far behind, according to the expert. Advantages of western manufacturers are also the quality of the body, the chassis and the workmanship of the interior.

Will VW become the world market leader?

So could the German carmaker pose a serious threat to Tesla? “If things go well, the VW Group will become world market leader in electric cars in 2022”, Ferdinand Dudenhöffer from the Duisburg CAR Institute recently claimed in an interview with “DER AKTIONÄR”. Expert Bratzel also agrees with this: “The large number of models in particular can mean that Volkswagen has a great chance of becoming the world’s largest manufacturer in 2022 or 2023 even with pure electromobility,” he predicts tagesschau.de . For a long time, Tesla led the field by a large margin. But now there are competitors who could be dangerous for the Californians. It now remains to be seen which new innovations Tesla will bring out in order to maintain the lead: “The race is getting a lot closer – both in terms of innovations and sales figures.”

A Volkswagen car factory. (Image: Reuters) German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier April 24 said the country’s government is aiming to raise the forecast economic growth this year as industries are fighting well with the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview, Mr. Altmaier said that in January, Germany gave its forecast of economic growth of 3%, but current data shows that the figure will be even higher. Last year, Europe’s largest economy declined 4.9% due to restrictive policies aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 translation . The set German Economy It is expected to publish an updated forecast on the economic growth outlook next week. According to Altmaier, Germany has reasons to be optimistic, as the statistics are better than expected amid industries benefiting from the global recovery. However, Altmaier admits that the COVID-19 anti-epidemic restriction policy – which is being tightened in Germany from the end of this week in an attempt to curb the third wave of infections – has particularly seriously affected sectors. sectors such as retail, culinary and hospitality. Still, Altmaier expects Germany’s economy to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2022. Last week, the leading German consulting organizations also warned that the current wave of pandemic will slow the recovery momentum, but it is still expected that Germany’s economy will grow 3.7% this year./.

Standard equipment on the Volkswagen Taos S front-wheel drive includes LED exterior lights, 17-inch wheels, ceiling rack, 6.5-inch central touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity, digital dashboard 8 inch, reverse camera. Choosing to upgrade to a 2-wheel drive 4Motion system, users will have to spend $ 25,040 but get heated front seats, heated front glass and side mirrors. Next, the Volkswagen Taos SE has a starting price of $ 27,245 for the front-drive configuration and $ 28,695 for the two. The default equipment on this version is also more complete with 18-inch rims, ceiling mounts, side mirrors with body color, 8-inch center screen, high-end speakers, wireless phone charging desk, 3 ports USB-C charger (default 2 only) or SiriusXM radio. The interior is also available in fabric or leather options, along with electric heated front seats, smart keys and one-way personal windows. Finally, the Volkswagen Taos SEL starts at $ 31,490 using 18-inch wheels on the FWD and 19-inch wheels on the AWD version, and adds adaptive LED headlights, radiator lights, digital dashboard 10.25 inch, default leather seats, BeatsAudio speakers, interior backlight, 2-zone air conditioning and ventilated front seats. All Volkswagen Taos configurations by default use a turbocharged 158-hp 1.5-liter engine, 250 Nm of torque with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. 2 bridges. Reference: Carscoops

In the framework of the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture has introduced a brand new SUV called Talagon. This is the largest line of Volkswagen cars to serve the Chinese market with the taste of spacious cars. Volkswagen Talagon has a wheelbase of 2,980 mm, equivalent to the 7-seater SUV Atlas sold in China with the name Teramont. Meanwhile, the overall dimensions are enlarged with measurements of length x width x height of 5,152 x 2,002 x 1,795 mm, respectively. Talagon’s head section has a masculine design with neat and sturdy lines. The two positioning lights are connected by the chrome bar of the grille, the sporty front bumper with polygonal air intakes. At the rear, the Talagon has the highlight of the horizontal LED taillight strip, accompanied by a trapezoidal dual exhaust cluster for a strong feeling. Interesting equipment on the exterior of Talagon is the welcome light located underneath the underbody, instead of being mounted in the rearview mirror like many other models. The Volkswagen Talagon’s cockpit has a youthful design and a premium feel. The central control cluster area is simplified with few function buttons and button shift levers, helping to optimize the space used in the front seats. The car is equipped with a digital dashboard connected to the infotainment screen. Customers can choose to configure 6 seats or 7 seats for Volkswagen Talagon. With an option of 6 seats, the middle row will include 2 business seats commonly found on MPV lines. The third row of seats has a spacious and comfortable seating space for 2 adults. Powering the Volkswagen Talagon is a 2.5-liter V6 turbocharged engine with a maximum capacity of 195 horsepower and a maximum torque of 500 Nm. The SUV has a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 4Motion 4-wheel drive system. According to Paultan, Volkswagen could provide the Talagon with an optional 2.0L I4 turbocharged engine. The price of the German SUV has not been announced. It is not clear if Volkswagen will introduce the Talagon to other markets outside of China.

VW not only has to pay damages to damaged diesel buyers. The company now has to reimburse a customer for the cost of financing the car because she took out a loan to buy the car. That was decided by the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe.

Financing by home loan

In the specific case, the plaintiff had bought a used VW Golf Diesel from a car dealership in 2013. To finance the car, she signed a loan agreement with the VW bank and borrowed more than 3,000 euros. Later it turned out that the manipulated EA 189 diesel engine was installed in the Golf, which only complied with the prescribed exhaust gas values ​​on the test bench, but not in road traffic. After the diesel scandal became known, she returned the Golf and demanded compensation. That was awarded to her – after deducting the interim mileage. In addition, the VW customer demanded the interest she had paid on the financing loan. This was already awarded to her in the lower court, but Volkswagen appealed to the BGH on an appeal. This has now made the final decision. Regarding the reasons for the judgment, the chairman of the BGH judge Stephan Seiters said that in the event of immoral damage, the claim for damages would also include these costs: “The buyer is to be treated as if it had not been purchased.”

A precedent ruling by the BGH?

To what extent the judgment can also be transferred to other VW customers, the plaintiff and defendant disagree. According to the purchaser’s lawyer, Florian Rosing, the BGH ruling is significant for thousands of customers, as the majority of car purchases were financed by loans. It is about an interest refund of several thousand euros on average. VW announced, however, that the BGH judgment could not be applied to all financed vehicle purchases. Most of the VW Bank loan agreements contained a “documented right of return” whereby the customer could return the vehicle at an agreed price at the end of the loan period. The BGH did not currently have to decide on the interest claim for these contracts. So far, courts have decided differently whether the claim for damages also includes the financing interest. Ref. VI ZR 274/20 With information from Klaus Hempel, ARD legal editors

In the past few years, Audi’s electric vehicle lineup has been continuously updated with new models. After E-Tron, E-Tron Sportback as well as E-Tron GT, Audi continues to unveil new luxury electric car couple named Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022. Different from E-Tron. Launched in 2018, the Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron are based on the Volkswagen Group’s new MEB platform.

This Audi electric SUV underbody facility is also being used in the Volkswagen ID.4. As direct competitors to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4, the pair of luxury cars possesses essentially the same design. At the same time, these are also the two smallest electric car models of the Audi brand today.

The specific dimensions of the Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 include a length of 4,588 mm, a width of 1,865 mm, a height of 1,632 mm as well as a wheelbase of 2,760 mm. In addition, the vehicle has a towing capacity of 1.32 tons. Compared to the Audi Q5, the Q4 E-Tron 2022 is about 90 mm shorter but optimized for internal space, partly thanks to the battery pack located under the car.

The luggage compartment volume of the Audi Q4 E-Tron 2022 is 520 liters or 1,489 liters if the rear seats are folded down while the other storage compartments have a total volume of 25 liters. Meanwhile, the Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 has 535-liter luggage compartment or 1,461 liters if the rear seats fold flat to the floor.

Compared to the rest of Audi’s electric cars, Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 possess a quite different design. The reason is that this luxury electric SUV pair applies Audi’s new design language. Outside, the Audi Q4 E-Tron 2022 looks quite curvaceous. Vehicles equipped with a flat front, high shoulder line and a steep windshield. Thanks to that, this model looks like a traditional SUV.

In contrast to the Q4 E-Tron, the Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 has a more unique design. This model is equipped with a wheel cavity like a Tonka toy car, a flat front and a roof sloping to the back in a coupe style. Thanks to this roof, the Audi Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 has a 10 km longer range than the Q4 E-Tron.

And yet, the pair of Audi luxury SUVs also get a new Matrix LED headlight system, which comes with a configurable LED daytime positioning strip. Users can choose 1 of 4 different configurations of this LED daytime positioning strip. Other notable exterior equipment of this couple include fake hexagonal grille, connected LED taillights, rims ranging in diameter from 19 to 21 inches and 8 paint colors.

Inside the Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022, Audi has arranged large 1.5-liter water tanks on all 4 doors. The interior of the car is upholstered in artificial leather or Nappa leather. Add to that details upholstered in high quality Dinamica, which looks like suede but includes 45% recycled material. Wood and aluminum trim details are available as an option.

Next is the largest center screen ever fitted to an Audi model at 11.6 inches and facing the driver. Even in the standard version, the car also has a 10.1-inch infotainment screen. This monitor supports wireless connectivity with a smartphone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Behind the wheel is a Virtual Cockpit digital dashboard with a 10.25-inch display.

That is not to mention the voice command feature “Hey, Audi” and the information display screen glass integrated virtual reality technology. Not only high-tech, the interior of the Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 also promises to bring a sense of relaxation to users thanks to the Sonos sound system. This is a new audio brand established in the early 2000s and is known for its high quality speakers and integrated audio solutions. However, the Sonos sound system is only available as an option for the Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022.

In markets outside the US such as Europe, the Audi Q4 E-Tron as well as the Q4 Sportback E-Tron 2022 have a standard version of the 35 E-Tron with a 52 kWh battery cluster and an electric motor that powers only 168 hp with the same model. Maximum torque of 310 Nm. This standard version also only uses rear-wheel drive and has an acceleration time from 0-100 km / h in 9 seconds. The range of the Audi Q4 35 E-Tron 2022 is 341 km while the corresponding figure for the Q4 35 Sportback E-Tron is 349 km. Expected to be available in the US market by the end of this year, the price of the Audi Q4 e-tron 2022 starts at less than $ 45,000, less than $ 7,500 under federal incentives.

Video: Details of the Audi Q4 e-tron 2022 luxury SUV with electric power.

Volkswagen and IG Metall have agreed on a new company tariff for around 120,000 employees in six West German plants. From January 2022, employees will receive a wage increase of 2.3 percent. In addition, the company pays a one-time corona allowance of 1,000 euros in June, retrospectively for the period since March 2020. In September, employees will also receive a one-off 150 euros to strengthen their company pension scheme. A previous performance component will be converted into a uniform allowance of 150 euros per month in May.

More flexibility

VW employees also have the option of converting part of the additional remuneration to three days off. Shift workers, parents or employees with relatives in need of care can convert their entire additional remuneration into six days off. It was also agreed to continue the 1,400 annual training positions until 2025. The collective agreement is to apply until the end of November 2022.

“Fair share earned”

The union expressed its satisfaction: Despite the crisis, the VW group is doing well, says Thorsten Gröger, negotiator and district manager of IG Metall. “The workforce deserves its fair share of the company’s success, because after all, it is they who made sure that Volkswagen navigated the crisis with positive results despite adverse pandemic conditions and tackled the challenges of the transformation with determination,” said Gröger . Even the VW management does not complain: “We have reached a collective agreement with a sense of proportion and reason that does justice to the particularly challenging environment since the beginning of the pandemic,” said VW negotiator Arne Meiswinkel. The current year will continue to be characterized by a high level of uncertainty and the pandemic.

“A strong conclusion”

Volkswagen General Works Council Chairman Bernd Osterloh emphasized: “This is a strong degree that our workforce has earned, especially in times of the Corona. There is noticeably more money, which was clearly due after around three years of waiting.” Originally, IG Metall had demanded four percent more wages and the preservation of 1400 apprenticeships by 2030. The carmaker recently offered a mix of a one-off payment and a percentage wage increase for a total of two and a half years. IG Metall rejected this as “absolutely out of the question”.

“Fat Dividends”

The so-called in-house tariff applies to the West German VW plants in Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Salzgitter, Hanover, Emden and Kassel. The dispute had been conducted in five rounds of negotiations since January – with warning strikes and harsh words. In an interview with “Bild am Sonntag”, IG Metall boss Jörg Hofmann accused the employers: “Big companies like Daimler or VW pay fat dividends. I say: Those who pay billions to their shareholders can also pay their employees properly.” ” Daimler in particular was criticized a few weeks ago for a hefty dividend increase.