News

VW brand’s global CEO debates future investment cycle in Brazil

Thomas Schäfer sees the Brazilian ethanol flex hybrid as a temporary solution

By Alzira Rodrigues | 07/04/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

With an ongoing R$ 7 billion investment plan up to 2026, Volkswagen South America already debates what should come after it and the investments to be made from 2027 through 2030. Meetings about this are part of the visit schedule of the brand’s global CEO, Thomas Schäfer, who is also participating in the celebration of  VW’s 70 years in the country, as the manufacturer also commemorates the fourth consecutive year of profits in local operations.

In an interview with a group of journalists before the company’s five-thousand guests party Monday night (7/3), Schäfer talked about electrification, admitting the ethanol flex hybrid is a way to be followed in Brazil, but let it clear it is a transitory solution.

“There is no scale potential”, he said about ethanol. “Globally, we will go toward battery vehicles”. Also in the press conference, Alexander Seitz, Volkswagen South America’s president, said the brand platforms come from the headquarters, “but there is freedom to create cars for the Brazilian taste”.

Volkswagen does not reveal when it will launch the ethanol flex hybrid, but the company’s president in Brazil, Ciro Possobom, said in the interview that the ´project is in its final phase.

About local production of 100% electric vehicles, he explained that the strategy is to import them initially to evolve in supplying from the Brazilian supplier chain.

“Those are medium to long-term plans”, said the executive, informing that the brand’s global CEO visit to Brazil aimed, among other reasons, to discuss actions for this decade’s second half.

Asked if the company keeps profitable even with the current market problems that took Volkswagen to halt production last week in two plants, Possobom ensured that this is the fourth consecutive year the manufacturer has had a positive performance.

He said July will still be a good sales month for the sector, as the dealers already have in stock products purchased from the manufacturers with the “affordable car” program discounts.


 

Compartilhar
Publicado por
Alzira Rodrigues

Notícias recentes

Brasileiros já compraram 2 milhões de veículos leves em 2024

Com 249,4 mil unidades, outubro tem o melhor resultado mensal do ano

% dias atrás

Alckmin recebe CEO global da Honda

Em debate, os benefícios do Mover e a manutenção dos direitos constitucionais da Zona Franca…

% dias atrás

Começa na segunda a maior feira de transporte da América Latina

AutoIndústria mostra na próxima semana tudo o que vai acontecer na Fenatran

% dias atrás

Honda mexe bem pouco na família City 2025

Sedã e hatch ganham mais no conteúdo do que na forma

% dias atrás

Picape que vende mais que carro no Brasil atinge 2 milhões de unidades

Lançada em 1998, Strada segue líder em emplacamentos este ano

% dias atrás

XCMG lançará na Fenatran caminhão leve elétrico

Modelo E3-10T coloca a marca chinesa na disputa do mercado de entregas urbanas no País

% dias atrás