Volkswagen Group hits five million electric drive milestone

Volkswagen Group has produced five million electric drive units worldwide, marking a major milestone in the company’s global electric vehicle rollout.

The milestone spans production at the Group’s plants in Győr, Hungary; Kassel, Germany; Tianjin, China; and Zuffenhausen, Germany, underscoring the scale-up of electric drivetrain manufacturing across multiple brands and regions. The Kassel plant alone lifted electric drive output by about 24% in 2025, producing more than 850,000 units.

Volkswagen Group board of management member for technology Thomas Schmall says the achievement highlights the Group’s capabilities across both conventional and electric powertrains.

“Producing five million electric drives is a milestone that underscores Volkswagen’s lead in both the ICE and the BEV segments,” Schmall says.

“Our global development and production network allows us to master all aspects of the electric drivetrain, accelerate innovation and ensure outstanding quality.

“In developing our first pulse inverter in-house, we are building up additional expertise and taking the ‘brain’ that controls the electric drive unit into our own hands. This not only safeguards high performance for our customers but also reinforces the technological sovereignty of the Volkswagen Group.”

The most widely used electric drive in the Group’s current lineup is the APP550, fitted to vehicles including Volkswagen’s ID range, the Škoda Enyaq and the CUPRA Tavascan. One million APP550 units have now been produced at the Kassel plant in Germany.

Volkswagen says the APP550 sets a new benchmark in the volume EV segment for efficiency, driving dynamics and noise levels. Despite matching the physical size of its predecessor, the system consumes about 20% less energy while delivering around 75% more torque and 40% more power. In series production, the APP550 delivers up to 240kW and 560Nm, with a combined oil and water-cooling system that optimises thermal management without requiring an additional pump.

The Group’s electric drive systems are developed and industrialised entirely within its integrated components network, covering engineering, power electronics and logistics.

As part of the next phase of development, Volkswagen Group Components has developed its own pulse inverter, which will be introduced across future electric drive systems. The company says in-house development will allow faster product cycles, cost reductions and greater manufacturing independence.

The inverter will be paired with the APP290 electric motor for the Group’s Electric Urban Car Family, including the ID. Polo, Škoda Epiq and CUPRA Raval. Using silicon carbide semiconductor technology, the system is expected to improve range and everyday driving performance, with outputs ranging from 85kW to 166kW using a 400-volt architecture.