According to a recent update from Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Schaefer, the Group intends to build at least four of its incoming EVs across its sub-brand’s current and upcoming facilities in Spain, including the VW ID.2, whose concept version, the ID.2all, was unveiled last week.
Volkswagen Group currently has several footprints throughout Spain and is already in the process of bolstering and expanding those facilities in support of EV production. The project is part of a previously announced investment by the Group on €10 billion ($10.6 billion) and includes an $3.2 billion overhaul of sub-brand SEAT’s headquarters and main production plant in Martorell, about 20 miles outside of Barcelona.
SEAT’s transformation parallels Volkswagen Group’s electrification goals outlined in Spain’s Future: Fast Forward project. Larger plans include a new battery gigafactory in Valencia, and the implementation of a complete supplier ecosystem to create a new EV hub for Volkswagen in Western Europe. The countrywide project is expected to positively impact the Spanish economy with an injection of more than €21 million.
Following that news, the CEO of Volkswagen’s passenger car brand has shared what EVs will soon be built in Spain as well as what type of battery chemistry will propel them.
Volkswagen Group to build Cupra, Skoda, VW EVs in Spain
According to Volkswagen Cars CEO Thomas Schaefer, the Group’s four new small EVs, all built atop the MEB Platform, will be assembled at two plants in Spain. During the unveiling of Volkswagen’s ID.2all concept last week, Schaefer said the ID.2 passenger EV that will evolve from it will be assembled at SEAT’s Martorell plant (seen above) alongside the Cupra UrbanRebel – an upcoming EV that still remains a concept for now.
Funny Enough, SEAT only sells one BEV – the Cupra Born, but it is currently built by Volkswagen in Zwickau, Germany, alongside its ID.3 twin. So the two Group brands are flip-flopping the production of each other’s EVs, at least for the time being.
Other EVs coming to Spain include two new small SUVs – one for Volkswagen and one for Skoda, which will both be built in Pomplona where the VW Polo is currently assembled. Additionally, a huge boost to Spain’s economy and to Volkswagen Group’s scaled EV production will be a new battery gigafactory in Valencia, which is scheduled to begin production by 2026.
Schaefer shared that all four EVs will utilize batteries from the Group – initially from Salzgitter, Germany, but inevitably from the new facility in Valencia when it’s complete. Additionally, the Volkswagen Cars CEO stated that each will be propelled by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry rather than lithium-ion to save costs. Longer-range EVs will use nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells that will be able to deliver up to 450 km (304 miles) of range.
Volkswagen Group expects the first of the four new EVs built in Spain to arrive in 2025, beginning with the Cupra UrbanRebel, followed by the next three in the 18 months thereafter. That being said, the Volkswagen ID.2 is the only EV in the pack expected to be priced below €25,000 euros (~$27K). All that said, Schaefer relayed that Volkswagen Group’s battery capacity will be a deciding factor in its scaled ramp up of EV production in Spain.