Editing Volkswagen (section)

=== 2017–present: Focus on electric vehicles ===
[[File:2020 Volkswagen ID.3 1st Front.jpg|thumb|The [[Volkswagen ID.3]]]]
In 2017, Volkswagen announced plans to place a considerable focus on [[electric vehicles]] (EV), with a goal to, by 2025, launch at least 30 EV models, and have 20 to 25 per cent of their total yearly sales volume (2–3 million) consist of EVs.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=VW strives to be leader in e-cars, self-driving vehicles |publisher=Deutsche Welle |location=Wolfsburg |date=5 May 2017 }}</ref> In September, Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller stated that the company aimed to have electric versions of all of its vehicle models by 2030, at a cost of 20&nbsp;billion euro, and 50&nbsp;billion euro on acquisition of batteries.<ref name="bloomberg-ev">{{cite news|last1=Rauwald|first1=Christoph|title=VW to Build Electric Versions of All 300 Models by 2030|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-11/vw-ceo-vows-to-offer-electric-version-of-all-300-models-by-2030|access-date=11 October 2017|work=Bloomberg|date=11 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011232755/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-11/vw-ceo-vows-to-offer-electric-version-of-all-300-models-by-2030|archive-date=11 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> On 6 March 2017 at the Geneva Motor Show Volkswagen presented its prototype for a fully autonomous car, [[Sedric]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=Ars|date=2017-03-09|title=Volkswagen unveils Sedric, its first fully autonomous vehicle|url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/03/volkswagen-unveils-sedric-its-first-fully-autonomous-vehicle/|access-date=2021-12-17|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us}}</ref>

Volkswagen returned to motorsport in 2018 by unveiling its all-electric [[Volkswagen I.D. R|I.D. R]]. At the [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb]], [[Romain Dumas]] set an all-time course record of just under eight minutes driving the I.D. R.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/hillclimb/news/dumas-shatters-pikes-peak-record-in-electric-vw-1047461/3128844/|title=Dumas shatters Pikes Peak record in electric VW|website=Motorsport.com|date=24 June 2018 |language=en|access-date=12 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918110418/https://www.motorsport.com/hillclimb/news/dumas-shatters-pikes-peak-record-in-electric-vw-1047461/3128844/|archive-date=18 September 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2018, Volkswagen announced that it would discontinue production of the [[Volkswagen Beetle (A5)|Beetle (A5)]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a19155284/volkswagen-beetle-discontinued/|title=Volkswagen Is Cancelling the Beetle in 2019|last1=Silvestro|first1=Brian|last2=Perkins|first2=Chris|date=13 September 2018|website=Road & Track|language=en-US|access-date=12 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717002948/https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a19155284/volkswagen-beetle-discontinued/|archive-date=17 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Also in September 2018, Volkswagen announced its $100 million investment in [[Silicon Valley]]–based [[solid-state battery]] startup [[QuantumScape]], becoming the startup's largest automotive investor and gaining representation on its board.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/news/2018/09/QuantumScape.html |title=Volkswagen closes QuantumScape transaction |publisher=Volkswagen |date=13 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402224536/https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/news/2018/09/QuantumScape.html |archive-date=2 April 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2019, Volkswagen announced that it would launch an entry-level [[Jetta (car marque)|Jetta]] sub-brand in China aimed at young buyers. Three models were announced in July 2019, a sedan and two SUVs,<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 July 2019|title=VW's first Jetta-subbrand crossover price to start below 90,000 yuan|url=https://www.autonews.com/china/vws-first-jetta-subbrand-crossover-price-start-below-90000-yuan|access-date=12 September 2020|website=Automotive News|language=en}}</ref> all three of which will be manufactured in China as a part of Volkswagen's joint-venture with [[FAW Group|FAW]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a26532859/volkswagen-jetta-brand-china/|title=Jetta Becomes a Separate Brand for China to Entice Entry-Level Buyers|work=[[Car and Driver]]|last=Dorian|first=Drew|date=26 February 2019|access-date=26 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226210604/https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a26532859/volkswagen-jetta-brand-china/|archive-date=26 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2019 at the [[International Motor Show Germany|Frankfurt Motor Show]], Volkswagen officially unveiled a refreshed logo (a thinner, two-dimensional version of the previous logo) and new [[sonic branding]], which will accompany the newly launched [[Volkswagen ID.3|ID.3]] electric vehicle. Volkswagen stated that the ID.3 signified the start of a "new era" of the company.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-09/vw-to-unveil-new-logo-affordable-e-cars-in-show-of-new-era|title=VW Unveils New Logo, Affordable E-Cars in Show of New Era|date=9 September 2019|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref>

In September 2019, Volkswagen also announced a program to allow old Beetle models to be converted to run on electric power. The electric motor and battery updates will be done in partnership with German company eClassics.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/a28939182/electric-vw-beetles-buses/|title=Vintage VW Beetles and Buses Are Going Electric|author=David Grossman|publisher=Popular Mechanics|access-date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007202120/https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/a28939182/electric-vw-beetles-buses/|archive-date=7 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The electric components used for retrofitting will be based upon those found in the [[Volkswagen Up|e-up!]] model.

In November 2020, Volkswagen announced that, trying to remain the world's largest carmaker in the green era, it has increased its investment in electric and self-driving cars to $86 billion over the next five years.<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 November 2020|title=VW boosts investment in electric and autonomous car technology to $86 billon|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/volkswagen-strategy-idUSKBN27T24O|access-date=13 November 2020}}</ref>

In January 2021, Volkswagen announced that its sales in 2020 dropped by 9.9% in China, 23.4% in western Europe and 17.1% in North America.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 January 2021|title=Volkswagen brand 2020 sales drop but recovery seen in December|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-results-idUSKBN29H17W|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref>

<span class="anchor" id="Voltswagen"></span>
In March 2021, Volkswagen announced that it would stop developing new internal combustion engines, although it would keep tweaking existing engines to comply with stricter emission rules.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=Volkswagen to stop selling combustion engines in Europe by 2035 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210627-volkswagen-to-stop-selling-combustion-engines-in-europe-by-2035 |website=France 24}}</ref> Also, the company announced it was changing the American division's name to "Voltswagen", with the help of [[Johannes Leonardo]], before revealing the move to be a hoax. In a tweet, the company said, the stunt "got the whole world buzzing." However, some news sources considered the announcement to be real, including the [[Associated Press]], whose headline about being fooled stated, "Volkswagen caught lying again, this time about changing its name."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/volkswagens-polarizing-april-fools-day-joke-built-brand-buzz-what-cost/2325341|title=Volkswagen's polarizing April Fools' Day joke built brand buzz, but at what cost?|last=Schultz|first=E.J.|work=[[Advertising Age]]|date=April 5, 2021|volume=92|issue=4|page=1}}</ref>

In March 2022, Volkswagen released the [[Volkswagen ID. Buzz|ID. Buzz]] electric minivan.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hoffman|first=Connor|date=2022-01-06|title=2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Microbus EV Will Debut March 9|url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38684870/2024-volkswagen-idbuzz-microbus-release-date/|access-date=2022-02-09|website=Car and Driver|language=en-US}}</ref>

On 11 May 2022 Volkswagen confirmed the relaunch of its [[Scout (automobile)|Scout]] off-road vehicle brand, this time as an [[Electric vehicle|EV]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/volkswagen-international-scout-ev-revival-off-road-pickup-suv/|author=Daniel Golson|date=May 11, 2022|title=Volkswagen Revives International Scout as US-Built EV Truck and SUV|work=CNET}}</ref> Production is set to begin in 2026, and this relaunch will be the first time that VW creates a new brand based solely in the U.S. market.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-is-bringing-back-the-scout-the-suv-pioneer-as-an-ev-11652220001|author=William Boston|date=May 10, 2022|title=Volkswagen Is Bringing Back the Scout, the SUV Pioneer, as an EV|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref>

In July 2022, Volkswagen noted the development of the first of their own ''[[Gigafactories]]''.<ref name="2022-07-07-ars">{{cite news |last1=Gitlin |first1=Jonathan M. |title=Volkswagen starts building the first of six battery gigafactories |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2022/07/volkswagen-starts-building-the-first-of-six-battery-gigafactories/ |access-date=8 July 2022 |work=Ars Technica |date=7 July 2022 |language=en-us}}</ref> The site, based in [[Salzgitter]] in Germany, has been termed ''Mission SalzGiga''. The new business unit is focused on all of Volkswagen's battery activities "from raw materials and the cell right through to recycling", and is part of a €20 billion investment.<ref name="2022-07-07-ars" /> Another Volkswagen gigafactory project in [[Sagunto]] needed government subsidies in order to go ahead.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Cameron |date=2022-11-02 |title=Economic climate starts to bite for battery gigafactory projects in Europe |url=https://www.energy-storage.news/economic-climate-starts-to-bite-for-battery-gigafactory-projects-in-europe/ |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=Energy Storage}}</ref>

In September 2022, Volkswagen introduced the ID. XTREME1 concept car, an off-road electric SUV.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Lalit |date=September 19, 2022 |title=Volkswagen Reveals its First Off-Road Electric SUV |work=Electric Vehicle Info |url=https://e-vehicleinfo.com/volkswagen-reveals-its-off-road-electric-suv/ |access-date=October 3, 2022}}</ref>

In December 2023, VW announced that its brands selling in the North American market—Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Scout Motors—would adopt the Tesla-initiated [[North American Charging System|NACS charging]] connector starting in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dow |first=Jameson |date=2023-12-19 |title=VW, Audi, Porsche finally commit to NACS connectors in 2025 |url=https://electrek.co/2023/12/19/vw-audi-porsche-finally-commit-to-nacs-connectors-in-2025/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Electrek |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hawkins |first=Andrew J. |date=2023-12-19 |title=Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi finally say they will use Tesla's EV charging plug |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/19/24008426/volkswagen-audi-porsche-tesla-nacs-ev-charging-plug |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>

In June 2024, VW stated that it will continue to heavily develop its internal combustion engine vehicles amid dwindling sales of its EV product line.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/vw-cfo-arno-antlitz-says-big-ice-investments-will-continue|title=EVs are the future, but combustion era 'is not over,' VW CFO says|publisher=Automotive News Europe|last=Hoyal|first=Lois|date=June 5, 2024|accessdate=June 14, 2024}}</ref>

In October 2024, Scout Motors announced it will sell directly to customers and service vehicles itself, following the model adopted by [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]] and other EV competitors, rather than use the Volkswagen dealer network.<ref name=cnbc-20241025>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/25/auto-dealer-groups-to-challenge-scout-motors-decision-to-sell-directly-to-consumers.html |title=Auto dealer groups to challenge Scout Motors' decision to sell directly to consumers |agency=Reuters |publisher=CNBC News |date=25 October 2024 |access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref>

In December 2024, Workers at Volkswagen factories in Germany announced they were going to strike over plans to close at least three plants, lay off thousands of workers, and cut pay by 10%.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rankin |first=Jennifer |date=2024-12-02 |title=Volkswagen workers in Germany to strike over plan to cut jobs and pay |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/02/volkswagen-workers-strike-germany-jobs-pay-cuts |access-date=2024-12-02 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>