FAW-Volkswagen executive: Changes in China lead to new business forms

By Zhang Rui
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, October 16, 2021
Adjust font size:
Andreas Dick, vice president of technology at FAW-Volkswagen, shares the development and trends of China's automobile industry with Peking University students in Beijing, Oct. 13, 2021. [Photo courtesy of FAW-Volkswagen]

A FAW-Volkswagen executive shared his insights into the development and trends of China's automobile industry at Peking University, Beijing on Wednesday. The event was part of a themed panel attended by Peking University lecturers and students. 

Andreas Dick, vice president of technology at the Sino-German joint venture FAW-Volkswagen, said China's economy is in a critical period of transforming modes of development, optimizing the economic structure, and changing the driving force of growth. He added that new changes have taken place in China's economy, giving birth to new business models, and that the automobile industry's trend toward electrification and intelligence is reconstructing industrial supply and value chains. 

"As the leader of China's automobile industry, FAW-Volkswagen adheres to the concept of 'Total value chain co-creation,' drives the coordinated development of upstream and downstream industries, enhances the manufacturing level of the automobile industry, and creates a green value chain," Dick stated. 

He added, "We are facing two major issues: climate change and digitalization. These two issues will trigger profound changes in the coming decades. Climate change is an urgent problem that needs to be solved."

FAW-Volkswagen has the ability and responsibility to promote industry transformation. It cooperates with Volkswagen Group to implement the "goTOzero strategy" to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions throughout its products' lifecycles, to protect the environment from damage, to ensure the health and well-being of communities and employees, and to become a leading provider of green mobility.  

Dick said FAW-Volkswagen has already implemented green production measures in its Southwest and South China bases. By 2030, carbon dioxide emissions at FAW-Volkswagen production bases will be reduced by 30%.

The second major issue he raised was digitalization and the series of changes it will bring, including significant solutions in smart factory production and improvements in operational efficiency and product quality. 

Driven by the strategy of "carbon peaking and carbon neutralization," China's automobile industry has burst into action. Intelligence and electrification have become an important direction for the industry, and technological innovation has become the only way for an enterprise to secure a leading position. 

Andreas Dick said, with the the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform, FAW-Volkswagen has realized fundamental changes in body design, interior design, and powertrain characteristics of electric vehicles, defining a new model for pure electric vehicles. 

Meanwhile, in 2023, Volkswagen Group will introduce a closed-loop approach to automobile manufacturing based on unified battery cells. This is anticipated to significantly reduce the cost of new mainstream energy vehicles by 30% and entry-level models by 50%. 

What's more, driving assistance will bring brand-new user experiences and business models to the sector. 

In the field of intelligent manufacturing, FAW-Volkswagen has introduced industrial cloud and Plant Service Bus (PSB). In terms of products, the ID.4 CROZZ, ID.6 CROZZ, and Audi e-Tron family have been launched in quick succession, being met with both public praise and sales. In terms of technical abilities, FAW-Volkswagen has a bench test center, design and virtual reality center, measurement technology center, vehicle safety center, trial production center, and multiple functional laboratories. Its New Development Center will also be officially completed in November this year and further improve the technical strength of FAW-Volkswagen.

"FAW-Volkswagen is no longer just an automobile manufacturer but also a mobility provider, industry development leader, and driver of industrial transformation," Dick said. 

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
ChinaNews App Download
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter