Volkswagen says it will significantly boost production this year as a ramp up to its goal of becoming the world’s largest automaker by 2018. VW finished 2011 as the world’s second-largest automaker, trailing only General Motors.
Thanks to VW’s recent takeover of German truck maker MAN, the company will have more than 100 production facilities in operation in 2012. VW originally planned to have about 70 production locations around the world.
VW plans to continue adding production facilities in the coming years, including a North American plant for its Audi brand and further expansion in China.
Additionally, VW expects to begin electric vehicle production in China through it joint-ventures by 2014. VW estimates that Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW Volkswagen will have the capacity to build a few thousand EVs per year by 2014, with that figure slated to rise to 100,000 units by 2018.
“I am convinced e-vehicles will be a success in China because I think it is desperately needed,” Karl-Thomas Neuman, VW’s China chief, told Automotive News.
VW says it should have an annual capacity of about 10 million units by 2018.
