Member of the Board at Volkswagen Group | CEO of Volkswagen Brand | Head of Brand Group Core
My first 100 days as CEO of the #Volkswagen brand are almost over – time to take stock. Many challenges, but above of all great fun to work with the entire team! We have defined an ambitious program with clear goals: ▪️ 100% customer focus: we are sharpening the VW brand and taking our product substance, quality and customer experience in our cars to the highest level. Among other things, we are bringing back the push-button steering wheel. That’s what our customers want. ▪️ Fewer models, but more product content: We will be focusing on core models for our customers and simplifying our product range over the next ten years. ▪️ Volkswagen is going electric: VW will only be building electric cars in Europe from 2033 at the latest! ▪️ Alongside this, we are stepping up our e-campaign, introducing ten new e-models by 2026. Our new entry-level e-car will come in two versions - as a small car and as a sporty crossover variant. In addition, we are looking into creating a compact SUV based on the ID.3. ▪️ #TheNewWE: We are turning the Brand Group Volume into a real competitive advantage. Great synergies through close partnerships. We have already achieved 220 million euros in savings potential at the Brand Group’s production plants this year. A good start with more to come! ▪️ And we are positioning ourselves strongly across all global regions, fully unlocking potential and making Volkswagen even more robust. Together, we are working hard to make our brand shine in the new mobility world, too! We are highly motivated, have an incredible amount of expertise in the company, and we know what needs to be done. I would like to thank all colleagues for their tireless commitment in these challenging times! Let’s make drive forward our transformation and make Volkswagen a love brand once again!
What I don't hear in this is a plan to resolve issues with existing customers. Product problems (software and hardware) are not mentioned. It is nice for stockholders to hear about savings, but existing customers might be more concerned about resolution of problems with support and repair actions.
Dear Thomas Schäfer, the phase-out date of 2033 for ICEs in Europe is unfortunately not ambitious enough in view of the dramatic climate change. Your colleague Thomas Ingenlath from Polestar already called for a faster pace of transformation weeks ago. Even if his starting point as the head of a purely electric brand is different, his statements remain correct. I would like to see Volkswagen AG play a pioneering role in this area.
Let's prepare african EV transition before 2033.
Thomas Shäfer, es una responsabilidad que muy pocas personas en el mundo tienen, para llegar a ser el CEO de la organización más grande del mundo del automóvil tiene que haber pasado por grandes responsabilidades. Desde Colombia lo invito para que un Volkswagen fabricado para la UE no tenga diferencia con el mismo automóvil fabricado para Colombia, a pesar de ser más costoso en Colombia, teniendo en cuenta el ingreso per capital, es entregado desarmado de los plus que se entrega en La UE. El mundo hoy es uno a través de las redes sociales y Volkswagen debe ser el primer productor de automóvil en cambiar este sistema tan perverso. Un abrazo fraternal
Thanks for sharing your summary Thomas. Very positive. As one of your customers, (CUPRA Born driver) may I offer some feedback. 1. Focus on addressing the software issues for existing customers. They detract the user experience from what is an excellent car. 2. Get your support processes sorted. Currently they are below expectations. Focus on issue ownership and honest customer communication. 3. Use your own products. Get the software engineering and product managers to use the cars on a long term basis. They will experience the inconvenience of the software issues which should prompt a more rapid action. 4. Engage with your customers. Listen to their feedback, setup focus groups, have managers join the Facebook and forum group to listen and engage directly. 5. On the software development and management side, learn from Tesla, they lead in this space. That's all. Keep up the good work.
Happy day……………… We have the innovative solution for electric vehicles. We invented a self-charging electric car motor that never needs to be recharged. This will save you the costs of setting up recharging stations for cars as well as the need to use diesel or gasoline to recharge through an additional engine. Our invention will eliminate the hybrid engine.. This will save you millions of dollars and reduce carbon pollution to zero..... we are ready to put our invention At your disposal. If this interests you, it will save you millions of dollars. Decision is yours.
In the late 1990s, Philipp Holzmann gave me my first corporate automobile, a VW. A good one for driving on icy, snowy roads. Never hit someone else's car. One evening, I was driving and my mentor, Enzo, a former CEO of an American company, was in the car. We were on a dinner visit. I could control my VW from rolling to the edge of the slop. He remained silent towards me. I can still clearly recall that event. 😃 .
As the things go right now with the accelerated EV adoption is a bit lame to think you are gonna sell anything but EV in 2030 all ready. But first get the software right cos' its hurting your sales. S curves are the killer of ICE cars. BY 2030 TSLA is gonna be by 3 TWh battery production and 20.000.000 sales in the world. Just look at Munro live how good they made battery pack for new Model Y . It is unbeliveable, all most no fasteners used at all
Before the car manufacturers switch to building only electric cars, they should take care of the safe battery recycling and other environmental issues. In addition, they should explore alternative electricity production technologies, as the rapid climate changes pose serious concerns and challenges. Just building electric cars won't make this world cleaner and safer.
Systems Engineering Manager in safety critical software
1yCan you talk about what you will achieve by 2023 and not 2033?