TOPIC

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Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group is the largest carmaker in Europe, selling vehicles under the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda and Volkswagen marques. It also sells Ducati motorcycles and commercial vehicles under the MAN and Scania marques. The VW Beetle was its first bestselling model, and the Golf, launched after it stopped production of the Beetle, has become the third best-selling car of all time.

Chairman / President

Hans Dieter Pötsch

CEO / Managing Director

Oliver Blume

CFO / Finance Director

Arno Antlitz

Industry

Automotive

Website

volkswagen.com

Headquarters address

Volkswagen AG, Berliner Ring 2, 38440 Wolfsburg, Germany

Stock Code

FWB:VOW3

Year founded

1937

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Volkswagen workers seen at an assembly line in the German carmaker’s plant in Qingdao, in eastern Shandong province, on December 23, 2025. Photo: AFP

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Volkswagen

Chinese EV makers hunt for idled plants in Europe as they expand global influence

BYD, the world’s largest electric car maker, says it is in talks with Stellantis about using European marques’ idled assembly facilities.

Xi-Trump summit: Ford-CATL plant shows how global carmakers need China

China pours US$6.1b into Brazil, making it Beijing’s top global investment

Driver ploughs car into crowd in Germany’s Leipzig, killing 2

The driver, a 33-year-old German citizen, was detained for what authorities described as a deliberate rampage.

Shifting gears: how foreign giants aim to catch up in China’s EV era

International carmakers launch tailored models and accelerate R&D as they scramble to match the speed and sophistication of domestic rivals.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Facing US and Chinese pressure, the EU must forge its own strategy

To remain competitive, Brussels must leverage its market power to engage Beijing – while aligning with Washington on its own terms.

Opinion | How China’s manufacturing is winning the Iran war

China’s production advantage is built on years of preparation, investment in renewables and cost discipline that are difficult to displace.

Chinese EV makers bet on in-house chips to make cars smarter and more autonomous

Chinese EV makers are showcasing advanced in-house chips at Auto China, powering smarter vehicles and challenging global tech leaders.

How a Chinese plastics hub shapes Tesla’s supply chain – and moulds the modern world

From car components to keyboards, this little-known industrial district in eastern China is crafting the small parts the world relies on.

China focuses on car standards to put industry in global driving seat

New five-year plan also emphasised importance of stronger standards in boosting Chinese manufacturers’ competitiveness.

Hyundai spearheads foreign EV comeback push in China with Ioniq brand

South Korean carmaker bets on local partnerships and technology as global brands prepare fresh push into China’s fast-moving EV market.

Trump’s tariff threat on European cars escalates global trade tensions

The US president said he will impose a 20 per cent tariff on all EU car imports, which could broaden a trade war already sparked with China.

Volkswagen tests China’s appetite for locally developed EVs

The three models, which will be launched over the next two weeks, use technology developed by Volkswagen’s Chinese partners.

More foreign marques face a do-or-die moment as Chinese buyers shun petrol cars

Following Skoda’s exit from China, other carmakers with falling sales are also likely to close shop this year, analysts say.

China’s electric cars and Iran war, VW pulls Skoda: 7 EV reads

From some Chinese carmakers raising prices to Xiaomi’s fresh fight with Tesla, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

VW pulls Skoda brand from China after years of falling sales

Czech brand’s mainland sales declined from 341,000 in 2018 to around 15,000 last year as domestic carmakers’ EVs won market share.

Xi and Merz pledge to strengthen ties as they rebalance amid ‘turbulent’ times

After meeting Chinese leader, German chancellor calls for closer trade relations to unlock opportunities and drive economic prosperity.

Has Trump ceded EV market to China with latest string of policy shifts?

Analysts say rolling back regulations pushes US further towards petrol cars, discourages EV innovation, and gives China competitive edge.

Stung by Trump’s policies, German multinationals cautiously pivot towards China

German firms are keen to invest more in China as they shy away from the US, but they still face issues in the Chinese market, business group says.

Brazil scraps EV tariff break for Chinese carmaker BYD amid pressure from rivals

US, European and Japanese manufacturers combined to lobby for an end to favourable rules for Chinese kit imports.

Major foreign carmakers set to stage a comeback in China this year: analysts

Foreign carmakers ‘will fight back because they will have the same products’ as their Chinese rivals, consultancy head Denis Depoux says.

China-EU deal on EVs marks rare agreement in frosty relations

The EU will waive tariffs on China-made battery electric vehicles if carmakers set a minimum price that offsets the effect of subsidies.

Opinion | EU-China ties are stuck between interdependence and rivalry

To break the pattern of trade escalations with Beijing, Brussels must move beyond tariffs and invest in its own competitiveness.

As Germany’s trade deficit with China nears new high, analysts warn of backlash

The widening gap, fuelled by a localisation push in China and fierce EV competition, is fuelling fears of political upheaval and rising protectionist sentiment in Berlin.

Discriminatory and egregious: China blasts EU’s subsidy crackdown

Commerce authorities vow to defend firms such as Nuctech and CRRC, while Beijing continues talks with Brussels over EV tariffs.

Opinion | A complicated new EU-China showdown is quietly taking shape

For now, both sides still need each other and there is nowhere else to turn. But behind this reliance, irritation and paranoia are rising.

EU drops 2035 combustion engine ban in victory for its carmakers

Europe pivots to bolstering its crisis-hit auto sector in a major green policy retreat.

Xpeng, Li Auto given approval to test ‘hands-off’ L3 cars amid slowing market

Deregulation to legalise L3 technology represents a leap forward in commercialising autonomous driving systems in China.

Opinion | Facing US and Chinese pressure, the EU must forge its own strategy