As the dust gradually settles on the fallout of the Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen appears to have come out swinging. The Volkswagen Group will leapfrog American electric car maker Tesla over the next eight years, claims Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess, in a Financial Times report.
“Anything Tesla can do, we can surpass. We are confident that in this new world, we will become a market leader,” Diess was quoted as saying. The German automaker’s MEB modular electric vehicle architecture enables it to build EVs to a cost advantage that Tesla is unlikely to achieve, Diess added.
Diess also suggested that because Tesla started as a luxury car maker with the Model S and the Model X, the American EV manufacturer would face challenges in economical manufacture for the mass market. On the larger scale front, Tesla will be bringing its Model 3 sedan to market in July, a marketplace Volkswagen intends to contest. In total, VW aims to launch over 30 EVs by 2025.
“It’s our ambition, with our new architecture, to stop them there, to rein them in,” Diess said, which is set to happen when Volkswagen’s first dedicated electric vehicle model reaches production before the turn of the decade. It’s an ambition which perhaps isn’t too far-fetched, considering the brand managed to sell a record 10.3 million cars last year, post-Dieselgate.
GALLERY: Volkswagen I.D. concept
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VW did the right thing many years ago with platform sharing. Thats the reason they overtook Toyota and GM who are both into costly multiple platforms. By coming up with the MQB and related family of platforms, VW managed to save billions each year. The fruit of their labour will only be seen when they go electric with shared platforms. Something that Tesla is having problems with right now and seeking funding the world over. It doesnt help that Tesla is a loss making company. It needs profits, something it cant achieve unless funders are confident they can overcome their problems. Unfortunately, Tesla has yet to prove how they are going to get in the black. Therefore lies the problems of Tesla.
The Germans are experts and prodigies in carmaking.
Ironically, the US used its protectionist stance and took action against VW for diesel emissions when their own Ford and GM trucks were bigger environment polluters. Also, the US govt has been strong backers of Tesla. Now VW is telling the US govt it is payback time. Tesla better watch out. VW has never backed out from a good fight its entire history!
Anything VW can do, Tesla will never surpass : DSG-gate, Dieselgate.
I was looking to press the Facebook Haha button but didn’t find it. The VW CEO made a good joke.
Volkswagen is the largest manufacturer in the world and they have even captured the throne from Toyota. They are in the forefront of technology and there is not one tinge of a doubt they can live up to their claim. If this is Toyota, I would serious doubt it as Toyota uses old, outdated tech in their cars. Toyota may be the pioneer in hybrid but that’s just about it. Toyota had to ink a partnership with BMW to use their internal,combustion engines in Toyota vehicles.
Bashers gonna bash i suppose…
Tesla already surpassed Volkswagen and it is at least 5 years ahead! What an arrogant comment from Diess!
Tesla has not surpassed anybody. The technology of Tesla is the same as Volvo, Renault and other electric cars. Its still at a very infant stage. Any major car manufacturer with money can overtake Tesla at anytime now. All it takes is commitment and R&D. In terms of electric range, VW and Seat’s new prototypes have better ranges than Tesla and they will be entering the market this year. So I dont see how Tesla can compete with the big boys, especially since they are dependent on outside funding to survive.
Really? 14 yearly quarters in the red while surpassing VW? If it’s so (technologically) good, why is it not selling (using bashers logic here)?
There is a fine line between an Arrogant & a Confident man talking. Only Mr Herbert Diess knows what he is doing or telling to be true. Time will be of essence & the judge if he is indeed a genius or a fake.
If history & the present outlook is to be the yardstick, I think Mr Herbert/VW will prevail bcos they have the numbers to back up the claims. U don’t sell 10 million vehicles by mistake do you!!
Lets hope VW do make it BIG bcos that will also translate to cheaper EV vehicles for the messes like M’sian & the rest of the world will benefits from cheaper EV.
Yes, VW can do it! Just fake the numbers (again)…
So the easiest way to beat Tesla is just buy over them. Just like how China is doing business anyways.
Good then. Let them fight. That’s what Elon Musk wanted anyway – to kick awake the sleeping giants to follow him into electric propulsion. Finally they are all getting it. Merc, BMW, VW etc etc. Musk’s greatest contribution, achievement and legacy will not be Tesla Motor’s success per se but to revolutionize transport for the masses weaning the big players off polluting oil. Whatever happens to Tesla Motors doesn’t matter in the end as it is just the genius’ tool to change the world for the better – we all hope. Steve Jobs wanted to make a dent in the universe. Musk wants to make a bigger more meaningful one.
yeah ready for another scandal, but this time is electric
The advantage of Volkswagen Group is two fold
a) they share platform across many different sub-brands, each market leaders in their respective segment
b) they are backed by f’n Germany; who’s destined to be the leader of alternative, solar based energy in the coming decade
It’s difficult to compete toe-to-toe with Volkswagen during the electrification and cognification phase of mobility.
I trust Tesla, I don’t trust Volkswagen
From an ex-VW owner.
HA HA HA HAAA HAAA.
VW hide, ignore, mask issues until forced to show. Tesla has been pretty transparent and proactive … so far.
Which would you rather put your money in?
A very bold statement even from a large already established brand but is an impossible task for a couple decades short from a century old corporate?
In a way, Tesla certainly created an impact in the current automotive industry. With alternative fuel being the future’s direction and pushed other luxury brands to enter the Hybrid technology or alternative-fuel market, Tesla should feel proud since it was a tiny startup organization ran by guys who knew nothing about car business made it to almost everyone’s list of nemesis.
VW must innovate on electric power reservoir technology first if they truly going EV, and not relying on Li-ion batteries pack.