Volkswagen Aims To Have 50% Of Its Car Sales To Be Electric By 2030

Volkswagen is aiming for half its model range to comprise electric-battery powered vehicles by 2030 under a new company strategy unveiled by Europe's biggest carmaker on Tuesday, Andrew McCathie reported for Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

Based in the northern German city of Wolfsburg, VW's new master plan entitled the "New Auto" is focused on boosting digitization and soft development as well as the promotion of E-vehicles and mobility services.

The new strategy was aimed at exploiting "previously unattainable synergies," said VW chief executive Herbert Diess setting out details of the plan as the global auto industry seeks to reinvent itself in the face of changing consumer demands and environmental pressures.

VW, which is the world's second-largest carmaker after rival Toyota, is also planning to reduce the real CO2 footprint per car over the entire lifecycle of its vehicles by 30 percent in the current decade compared with 2018 levels.

By 2040, VW wants almost 100 percent of all new vehicles in key markets to be carbon neutral.

The company is taking aim at the US Tesla group with an ambition to become the global market leader in e-mobility.

VW also detailed plans to build its own battery cell factories at a cost of billions of euros, including teaming up with Chinese cell manufacturer Gotion High-Tech at its Salzgitter site in central Germany.

Production at the plant is set to begin in 2025. A total of five more cell factories are to be built in the coming years in parts of Europe. In addition, VW hopes to begin the production of its planned small electric vehicle series ("Small BEV") in Spain from 2025 but is waiting for government support for the project.

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