Volkswagen's largest all-electric car factory in Zwickau, Germany has just set a new weekly production record.
According to the official announcement, some 7,100 BEVs were produced during five workdays (November 7-11). That's about 1,400 units per workday.
Assuming roughly 50 weeks per year, at such a rate, the factory would produce up to 350,000 electric cars. This alone indicates that the maximum output of 330,000 units annually - envisioned when the plant was converted from a 100% ICE plant to a 100% BEV plant a few years ago - was already reached.
Considering what happened in Europe this year and how limited parts supply can be at times, it's a pretty bold achievement and a sign that Volkswagen solved bottlenecks.
The plant in Zwickau produces six MEB-based models:
- two hatchbacks: Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born
- two crossover/SUVs: Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron
- two crossover/SUVs (coupe style): Volkswagen ID.5 and Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron
The other Germany MEB-based EV plant - the Transparent Factory in Dresden, which produces the ID.3 on a small scale since January 2021 (35 or so per day), also celebrates its small milestone of 10,000 ID.3 produced cumulatively.
Other MEB plants in Germany are located in Emden (Volkswagen ID.4 production since May 2022) and in Hanover (Volkswagen ID. Buzz since June 2022), while in Europe there is also a factory in Mlada Boleslav (Skoda Enyaq and Enyaq Coupé since November 2020).
Earlier this month, the Volkswagen brand announced that its cumulative sales of ID. models (ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.6) reached 500,000.
That's a substantial level, but at the same time, just the beginning of a broader transition from ICE to BEV. Volkswagen announced 10 new electric models by 2026, and that, as far as Europe is concerned, 100% electrification from 2033. It means that within about 10 years, the company will be producing only battery-electric cars in Europe.
Electrification in other markets of course depends on various factors but also is expected to progress.
