e-tron

Make
Audi
Segment
SUV

It's no secret that the VW Group has big plans for its upcoming EV onslaught. Originally, the target was to launch as many as 50 new fully electric cars across its many brands including Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche by 2030 as part of its 2017 'Roadmap E' initiative.

If that wasn't already ambitious, the target has expanded. VW says it now plans to launch "almost 70 new electric models" in the next ten years. As a result, the projected number of vehicles to be built on the Group's electric platforms in the next decade has increased from 15 million to 22 million, comprising "at least 40 percent" of the group's vehicle fleet. This new goal is part of an effort to make the VW Group CO2-neutral "in all areas from fleet to production to administration" by 2050. By 2025, VW also aims to reduce the CO2 footprint of its vehicle fleet by 30 percent across the lifecycle compared to 2015, while the company's total investment in electrification will reach more than €30 billion ($33 billion) by 2023.

The first two mainstream electric vehicles from VW Group that will enter production will be the Audi e-tron and Porsche Taycan. VW says it has already received reservations for 20,000 units of both models. The Audi e-tron and Porsche Taycan will be followed by new EVs models based on VW's dedicated MEB electric platform that will deliver a maximum range of 340 miles, including production versions of the Volkswagen ID hatch, Crozz, and Buzz. The Volkswagen ID Buggy concept that debuted in Geneva will also enter production in 2021.

The automaker also said it is considering forming partnerships to "enable the widest possible spread of the MEB." At Geneva, VW announced a partnership with Aachen-based e.GO Mobile AG. The automaker is also collaborating with Ford to build mid-size pickups and vans. In addition, VW announced it will install 400 fast-charging stations along Europe's major roads and highways by 2020. 100 of these will be located in Germany, meaning there will be a station every 74 miles.