VW throws down the gauntlet to China. “We are ready for their expansion, we have our advantages”

Chinese producers of electric delivery vehicles will not have an easy path to the European market; we are ready for their expansion and we have our advantages – Stefan Mecha, president of the management board of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand, told PAP.

The company has just started expanding the Volkswagen Poznań plant in Września, where electric Crafters will be produced. The value of the investment – including the construction and equipment of two halls with a total area of ​​nearly 60,000. sq m – amounts to PLN 1.5 billion. One of them will house the eCrafter chassis platform, the other will house a battery warehouse and a logistics part. Construction completion is scheduled for mid-2027.

Stefan Mecha admitted that the company follows the intensive development of Chinese producers of electric vehicles very closely.

– The competitive landscape has changed fundamentally in recent years. I worked in China for three years and saw with my own eyes a very high degree of market saturation with electric and hybrid cars. More than half of new vehicles there have an electric drive. We are in a highly competitive industry and the transformation we are undergoing is extremely demanding. Regardless of whether the competitors come from Asia, Europe or the United States, we must be vigilant, he emphasized.

The president of the Polish Automotive Industry Association (PZPM), Jakub Faryś, recently emphasized in an interview with PAP that Chinese manufacturers are becoming more and more competitive in Europe, both in terms of prices and technology – especially in the electric vehicle segment. He pointed out that Chinese expansion may prove beneficial for consumers, but it will pose a threat to European producers and jobs.

Poland, as one of the key players in the European automotive sector, may be particularly affected by these changes: approximately 200,000 people work in the industry. people, and hundreds of thousands more are employed in logistics, transport and related services. Volkswagen Poznań currently employs over 9,000 people in four plants in Greater Poland. people. The expansion of the factory in Września is to enable maintaining this level of employment in the coming years.

– We are aware that the expansion of Chinese producers on the European market will continue. However, we believe that we are very well prepared to compete effectively in the commercial vehicle segment, added Mecha.

In his opinion, Asian producers of electric delivery vehicles will have a much more difficult time on the European market than suppliers of passenger cars. – A mature and extensive support network is crucial in this segment. A customer who buys a car has many opportunities to contact the brand and the dealer network later, he said.

He emphasized that in the case of commercial vehicles, which are a basic work tool and a source of income for many companies, direct contact, service quality and quick serviceability are crucial. – This is where we see our competitive advantage – he said.

In the context of growing competition from Chinese manufacturers, the European automotive industry – as pointed out by PZPM – faces a number of structural challenges, including high energy and labor costs and a complex regulatory environment.

Stefan Mecha pointed out that currently the share of electric vehicles in the European commercial vehicle market is below 10%.

– However, we see the growing development of charging infrastructure and increasing demand. The energy transformation on the customer side is progressing. Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly better suited to everyday needs, and the model range is constantly expanding, he said.

Perspective for the coming years

Stefan Mecha admitted that the transformation towards electromobility is slower than originally expected by car manufacturers. When asked about the possibility of implementing vehicles with alternative drives other than electric, Mecha emphasized that the company is researching various technologies.

– However, in the coming years we are focusing on electric drives. They allow us to achieve decarbonization goals, which are particularly important to us, he noted.

Stefanie Hegels, president of Volkswagen Poznań, told PAP that the increase in the competitiveness of European manufacturers is influenced, among others, by: degree of production automation. At the VWP plant in Września it is approximately 85%. Another 150 robots will work in the new part of the factory. She emphasized that automation does not mean employment reduction.

– The employees employed in the welding shop today have completely different competences than those we employed 10 or 20 years ago. Currently, these are highly qualified installation operators and automation specialists responsible for operating modern systems, she explained.

Stefan Mecha assured that the decision to expand the plant in Września and produce a new eCrafter was natural.

– Crafter and e-Crafter are closely related, so it was obvious that the Września factory would be developed. We have a modern, efficient plant here and excellent production quality. It is clear to us that the future of mobility – including light commercial vehicles – is electric. We are already the market leader in electric delivery vehicles in Europe and we want to strengthen this position. We are electrifying our offer and modernizing our plants, he said.

Next steps towards success

The president of VWP emphasized that the expansion of the factory is another step towards sustainable mobility and strengthening the plant's energy independence. The roofs of the new halls will be adapted for the installation of photovoltaic panels. Volkswagen Poznań already uses one of the largest corporate PV installations in Europe, ensuring full energy self-sufficiency on sunny days.

Stefanie Hegels added that the company is working on energy recovery projects, water consumption reduction and the use of wind turbines and biogas.. Over the last five years, we have managed to reduce water consumption in the production process by 40%.

– We remember that internal competitors within the group are also not sleeping. We must constantly optimize ourselves to remain competitive, she emphasized.

The plant in Września, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary of operation next year, has so far produced approximately 560,000. Crafter and Grand California vehicles and 175 thousand MAN TGE models – a total of over 700,000 cars.

The factory with an area of ​​220 ha uses over 1,300 robots and quality systems based on artificial intelligence. (PAP)

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