Volkswagen China Building Third BEV Plant

Volkswagen starts construction of a new battery-electric-vehicle platform plant in China.

The MEB modular-electric-drive vehicle platform factory at Volkswagen Anhui will be the country’s third Volkswagen Group China BEV manufacturing facility, following completion of the Anting and Foshan plants.

The latest factory will be powered by green energy from its outset and is due for completion mid-2022, while production is expected to launch in second-half 2023. The plant is part of the German automaker’s global e-mobility push. VW expects its Chinese operations to deliver up to 1.5 million new energy vehicles annually by 2025.

Construction at Volkswagen Anhui, on the site of a former JAC plant, includes brownfield repurposing and increased capacity from the establishment of a new body shop. This shop will cover roughly 1.52 million sq.-ft. (141,000 sq.-m) with the total plant area covering around 5.4 million sq.-ft. (500,000 sq.-m). A supplier park for batteries and components also will be built nearby.

Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, says: “Volkswagen Anhui is set to become a global hub for e-mobility innovation and a cornerstone of the Group’s decarbonization strategy. As China is the world’s largest single market for NEV vehicles, we need to strengthen our local competence, and Volkswagen Anhui is a significant part of it.

“With the plant to be powered by green energy from day one, we are demonstrating our commitment to reducing carbon emissions beyond our fleet.”