NEWS

[Beijing, November 30, 2020] Volkswagen Group China has entered a new era of e-mobility with the premiere just three weeks ago of the first two China-specific models from the completely new electric-only ID. family – FAW-Volkswagen’s ID.4 CROZZ and SAIC VOLKSWAGEN’s ID.4 X – built on the innovative MEB platform. With market entry in early 2021, production of these two models has already started at MEB facilities in Foshan and Anting, which together have a combined total planned annual capacity of 600,000 units. This will enable the Group to increase the share of electric vehicles in its product portfolio to 35% by 2025. As the first MEB-based models to be produced in China, are the pure-electric SUVs ID.4 CROZZ and ID.4 X both use the new APP310 e-drive from Volkswagen Automatic Transmission (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. (VWATJ).  By 2023, Volkswagen will offer eight models of the ID. Family in China, the world’s largest NEV market which plays a crucial role in the Group’s global e-mobility strategy.

“Our ID. family, based on the MEB platform, will be an industry game-changer and will revolutionize the NEV market. The MEB provides unique versatility and is an incredibly flexible platform for vehicle production, meaning, we can offer customers a wide range of highly attractive electric models, from compact city cars to spacious buses or SUVs,” said Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China. “The start of production at the first two MEB plants in China is a true milestone and will take our e-mobility push mainstream, making quality NEVs affordable for many people.”

Standardization for efficient ramp-up

The Anting MEB plant is Volkswagen Group’s first greenfield MEB plant anywhere in the world, 100% dedicated to the manufacture of pure-electric vehicles. Through standardization measures, the infrastructure investment at the new Anting plant was cut by 5% compared to previous car plants, despite significant higher costs for site-specific requirements. The Foshan plant was revamped on the site of original production facilities as one of the most flexible plants in the global production network. It allows to produce both convention ICE models based on the MQB platform and pure-electric models based on the MEB platform on the same production line. Both projects were started in the second half of 2018 and fully completed to the point of series production within just two years.
Fred Schulze, Member of the Board of Management at SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd, responsible for Production, said, “Our new MEB plant in Anting integrates intelligent manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental protection. It is one of the largest and most efficient battery electric car plants in China.”

Andreas Dick, Vice President (Technical) of FAW-Volkswagen, said, “In our NEV ecosystem, the Foshan MEB plant plays an important role as a benchmark for green and smart production. The Foshan MEB plant adopts environmentally friendly procedures and green management measures throughout the whole production process. Furthermore, with our MEB plant, we are committed to achieving the strategic goal of "goTOzero". With a series of upgrades and modifications to the MEB factory, today 100% of the plant’s energy consumption is already covered by renewable energy resources.”

Benchmark for climate-friendly vehicle production in China

The Anting plant implemented 28 energy-saving and eco-friendly measures, including solar photovoltaic power generation, improved heat-exchange systems, intelligent light controls and waste management, as well as rainwater recycling. As a result, energy use, water use, carbon dioxide waste, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and general waste have each been reduced by 20% compared to other vehicle plants of a similar size.

At Foshan, all MEB vehicles will be produced with renewable energy, making the production process CO2-neutral. Furthermore, 200,000 square meters of solar panels have been installed to provide the factory with a power of 8.2 MW and an overall production of 9,000 MWh per year of renewable energy. This leads to a CO2-saving of 7,900 tons per year.  Through a water recycling system, 44% of the water used in the production process is recycled. Since 2018, the Foshan factory has received 9 national environmental awards for green and energy-saving production methods.

Digital production processes for quality and improved productivity

The MEB plant in Anting boasts at-line measuring stations fitted with robotics that can ensure precise measurements down to a tolerance of 0.2 mm, while advanced high-speed laser welding equipment now works up to 110 mm/s – the fastest anywhere in the world for  the Group. Fully automated assembly platforms, featuring automatic instrument installation, are used to improve accuracy and assembly quality, while fully integrated digitalization means the plant is equipped with complete industrial wireless network coverage. Here, production data is collected in real time and transmitted to an online platform for storage and analysis.

The Foshan MEB plant employs cutting-edge technologies in the welding workshop to maximize the connection strength of the car body. A highly flexible set-up enables co-production of 6 to 8 MEB products, allowing for adjustments to the production plan in real time. Enhanced digitalization makes for accurate platform visualization, while more than 1,200 robots in the welding workshop, with an automation rate of 90%, ensure highly efficient processes. The automation rate of paint shop is nearly 100%, which is the production line with the most robots and the highest degree of automation in China. This makes the Foshan plant to one of the most productive plants in China.

Industry 4.0 qualification methods for employees

Besides producing some of the most high-tech products from among the Group’s offerings, the facilities themselves represent a new era in green production standards, speed, and efficiency. More than 2,000 employees across the MEB plants have taken part in virtual reality (VR) training to ensure safety and best practise. This up-to-date approach results in a shortened training cycle and a reduced need for physical training venues. Benefits to production include cost reductions and efficiency, as well as eliminating parts loss.

Volkswagen Group’s MEB production facilities in China set a new standard for others in the industry to follow, representing the start of a new approach to large-scale automotive manufacturing. Greener, more efficient, more productive, safer and more sustainable – these facilities point to the future and herald a new and electrified, low-carbon era for the Group. 

Foshan MEB plant with new battery assembly (in blue)

Anting MEB plant started building in Oct. 2018