Volkswagen Group has selected South Korean battery manufacturer SK Innovation (SKI) to supply batteries for its electric vehicles based on the modular electric toolkit (MEB) platform. SKI will supply batteries for North America and some of the batteries for Volkswagen Group's European-made pure electric vehicles. Volkswagen Group's electric fleet in major regions of the world is growing rapidly, so it has selected important strategic battery suppliers for electric fleets.
The Volkswagen Group has developed an electrified Roadmap E framework, and the Volkswagen brand plans to launch 50 new all-electric models by 2025. By 2025, the group will need more than 150 GWh of battery capacity per year to equip its electric fleet, which is equivalent to an annual production capacity of at least 4 battery “super factories”. The Volkswagen Group already has LG Chem, Samsung and SKI as its European strategic partners, which will supply batteries for them starting in 2019. In addition, starting in 2022, SKI will meet the group's needs in the North American market. Ningde Times is the group's strategic partner in the Chinese market and will supply batteries for it starting in 2019.
Dr. Stefan Sommer, a member of the board of directors of Volkswagen Automotive Components and Purchasing, said: "We have found strong long-term battery suppliers for electric vehicles, namely SK Innovation, LG Chemical, Samsung and CATL. Together with our suppliers , We will ensure that the Volkswagen Group ’s fast-growing electric fleet receives the best batteries to meet the needs of specific customers and markets, laying the foundation for the Volkswagen Group's transition to electric mobility.