The Volkswagen Group has reached a production milestone of five million electric drive units across its global manufacturing network. The achievement spans four plants in Győr, Kassel, Tianjin and Zuffenhausen, reflecting the automaker’s scale-up of electrification across brands and regions. The Kassel plant alone boosted electric drive output by approximately 24 percent year-over-year in 2025, exceeding 850,000 units.
Highlights
- Volkswagen Group surpasses five million electric drive units produced across its global plant network, marking a major electrification milestone.
- The APP550 drive system hits one million units at the Kassel plant, delivering up to 240 kW and 560 Nm in series production.
- A new in-house pulse inverter will support the upcoming Electric Urban Car Family, enabling faster development and reduced costs.
- The APP290 electric motor will use silicon carbide semiconductors to boost range and performance across entry-level EV models.
APP550 Sets Efficiency Benchmark in Volume Segment
The APP550 is currently the most widely used electric drive in the Volkswagen Group’s lineup. It powers the Volkswagen ID. family, Škoda Enyaq and CUPRA Tavascan. One million APP550 units have rolled off the line at the Kassel components plant.
Despite sharing the same dimensions as its predecessor, the APP550 delivers significant gains. Key specifications include:
- Energy consumption: Approximately 20 percent lower than the previous generation
- Torque improvement: Roughly 75 percent increase
- Power output: Around 40 percent increase, reaching up to 240 kW
- Peak torque: Up to 560 Nm in series production
- Thermal management: Combined oil and water-cooling system eliminates the need for an additional pump
Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board of Management member for Technology, said the milestone reflects the company’s capability across both ICE and BEV segments. He emphasized that the global development and production network enables the Group to manage all aspects of the electric drivetrain.
In-House Pulse Inverter Targets Electric Urban Car Family
Volkswagen Group Components is independently developing a pulse inverter for future electric drive systems. The component is designed to accelerate product development cycles, lower costs and reduce reliance on external suppliers.
The inverter will be paired with the new APP290 electric motor for the Electric Urban Car Family. That lineup includes the ID. Polo, Škoda Epiq and CUPRA Raval.
APP290 Technical Details
- Semiconductor material: Silicon carbide, designed to increase range and improve daily driving performance
- Power range: 85 kW (116 PS) to 166 kW (226 PS) across several performance levels
- Voltage architecture: 400V technology
The Group’s integrated components network handles the full development chain. That spans engineering, industrialization, power electronics and logistics. The Kassel plant serves as a center of expertise for bringing electric drives and pulse inverters into series production.
Volkswagen Group at a Glance
The Volkswagen Group operates 115 production facilities across 27 countries and employs approximately 680,000 workers. In 2024, the company delivered 9.0 million vehicles globally and reported group sales revenue of EUR 324.7 billion.
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