The CEO said the topic of WLTP posed the greatest risk in terms of volume and profit. Between August and October, certain model variants will experience production bottlenecks and plants will be closed on certain days at the company’s locations, he said. Diess added: “We are firmly committed to our delivery goal for the entire year. But one other thing is clear: The second half of the year will require a huge effort, also in terms of margins.” The Group expects the continued model offensive to provide a further boost.



Diess emphasized that the new Board of Management is systematically moving forward with the Group’s realignment. As examples, he cited the independence of Volkswagen Truck&Bus, the conversion of Components into a separate business entity and ground-breaking alliances with Hyundai and Ford. In addition, the Group has acquired a majority stake in QuantumScape. The investment of more than USD 100 million is a key aspect of the Group’s battery strategy. Diess added: “One of our long-range goals is to establish a production facility for solid-state batteries by 2025.”

