Battery-electric Vehicles on The Rise: VW Reaches Milestone of Five Million Electric Drivetrains

Wolfsburg/Münster (Germany) – Structural change in the German automotive market accelerated in 2025. Battery-electric vehicles gained significant importance, while vehicles with internal combustion engines saw a marked decline. The Volkswagen Group is reinforcing this trend and underlining its central role in the national and international e-mobility market by reaching the milestone of five million electric drivetrains produced.

Almost one in five vehicles newly registered in Germany between January and November 2025 is now fully electric. Looking at the manufacturer ranking for electric vehicles, the VW Group dominates the BEV segment with its brands Volkswagen, Škoda, SEAT, and Audi. From January to November 2025, the VW Group achieved a market share of around 42 percent. At the same time, Volkswagen is also setting technological benchmarks in the volume segment with the APP550 electric drive, reaching the milestone of one million units produced at its Kassel site.

Production milestone and technological leadership

The Volkswagen Group has manufactured five million electric drive units for fully electric vehicles worldwide. The plants in Győr, Kassel, Tianjin, and Zuffenhausen made a significant contribution to this milestone. “Producing five million electric drives is a milestone that underscores Volkswagen’s lead in both the ICE and the BEV segments. Our global development and production network allows us to master all aspects of the electric drivetrain, accelerate innovation and ensure outstanding quality,” said Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board Member for Technology, commenting on the achievement.

Particular attention is currently focused on the APP550 electric drive unit, which is used, among others, in the Volkswagen ID. family, the Škoda Enyaq, and the CUPRA Tavascan. The one-millionth unit was recently produced at the Kassel plant. According to VW, the APP550 increases efficiency by around 20 percent compared to its predecessor, while torque and power rise by 75 percent and 40 percent respectively, with identical dimensions. As standard, the drive unit delivers up to 240 kW and 560 Nm. The combined water/oil cooling concept ensures optimized thermal management without the need for an additional pump.

The electric drive units are produced within the closely integrated, Group-wide network of the Volkswagen Group, which links development, industrialization, power electronics, and logistics, and successfully brings key technologies into series production at sites such as Kassel.

In-house pulse inverter strengthens technological sovereignty

With an in-house pulse inverter, the Volkswagen Group is now also bringing a key component of the electric drivetrain into its own production. According to VW, the solution from Volkswagen Group Components accelerates development cycles, reduces costs, and increases independence from external suppliers. In combination with silicon carbide semiconductors, the new APP290 drive significantly improves the efficiency of the Electric Urban Car Family. The APP290 electric motor, developed and manufactured in-house within the Group, is currently planned in various power levels ranging from 85 kW (116 hp) to 166 kW (226 hp) and uses 400-volt technology.

Source: IWR Online, 10 Feb 2026