Volkswagen can’t seem to get out of its own way these days. More delays are on the way for Volkswagen EVs, including its ID.4 successor and a new Porsche electric SUV, as software issues persist.
Volkswagen delays persist as more EVs get pushed back
Software has been one of VW’s biggest hurdles over the past several years. VW’s struggles have led to the delay of highly anticipated EVs, like the Porsche Macan Electric and Audi Q6 e-tron.
Although both models have now launched (at least a year after initially expected), Volkswagen is still struggling to get on track.
According to a new report from Germany’s Manager Magazin, the Volkswagen delays continue, with several EVs being pushed back.
The report claims part of VW’s new SSP platform will not arrive until late 2029. Volkswagen already postponed the platform years ago, and it is now being delayed another 15 months. The software from its Cariad software unit will not be ready in time.
The delay means VW’s next-gen EVs, like its ID.4 successor and new Porsche electric SUV, will not launch until 2029 at the earliest.
The new Porsche is expected to be a range-topping seven-seater. Codenamed “SUV K1,” the new electric SUV will “round off our model range at the top,” according to Porsche’s product manager Albrecht Reimold.
Porsche’s electric SUV is expected to rival Range Rover’s upcoming EV and ultra-luxury brands like Ferrari.
In the meantime, VW will introduce an updated version of its MEB platform (MEB+) in 2026. It will be used longer than expected until the SSP is available.
VW’s Cariad has struggled for years. It was former VW Group CEO Herbert Diess’s biggest headache. Some even blame it for his departure.
Diess initially set up Cariad in 2020 to close the tech gap with Tesla and power its next-gen EVs. Volkswagen has hired several industry leaders, including former Tesla and Rivian executives, to turn things around.
Volkswagen announced it would invest up to $5 billion into Rivian to form a joint venture. The new JV is expected to help bring Rivian’s software expertise into VW models.
Electrek’s Take
Volkswagen is already falling behind as the industry goes electric. The automaker’s EV sales slipped 8% YOY in the first half of 2024 (317,200 vs 321,600).
To make matters worse, VW is considering closing its first plant in Europe. VW may close the Audi assembly plant in Brussels, where the Q8 e-tron is built. The move comes as Audi’s EV sales slid 11% in the second quarter.
VW sold 17,900 Audi Q8 e-tron’s in the first half of 2024, down from 19,500 last year. Volkswagen’s best-selling EVs in the first half of the year included the ID.4 and ID.5 (86,800), ID.3 (66,200), and Audi Q4 e-tron (52,100).
With more EV delays on the way, will Volkswagen fall further behind Tesla and others? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Automobilwoche, Manager Magazin