Volkswagen is an automotive manufacturer founded in 1937 in Wolfsburg, Germany. The company took its name, meaning "people's car" in German, within the scope of mass production projects aimed at individual transportation. Its foundation is associated with the publicly supported development process of the motor vehicle industry in Germany.

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Historical Development

Volkswagen's development progressed in parallel with the restructuring of the German automotive industry after World War II. The Transporter model, launched in the 1950s, was designed for commercial transportation. In the 1970s, the introduction of the Passat (1973), Golf (1974), and Polo (1975) models expanded the company’s product range. In the 1990s, the inclusion of brands such as Audi, SEAT, and Škoda into the Volkswagen Group led to an international expansion of production activities.

Electric Vehicle Technology and the MEB Platform

With the introduction of the ID.3 model in 2019, Volkswagen initiated a corporate transformation toward electric vehicle production. This transformation was built on the MEB (Modularer E-Antriebs-Baukasten) platform. The MEB platform enables the production of electric vehicles in different segments using a shared infrastructure. As of 2024, the total sales of ID. series models exceeded 1.35 million units.

Product Range

Passenger Cars

Golf (1974– ): Compact class
Passat (1973– ): Mid-size sedan
Polo (1975– ): Small hatchback
Jetta, Arteon: Sedan models

SUV Models

Tiguan: Compact SUV
T-Roc, Taigo: Small SUV models
Touareg: Upper-segment SUV

Electric Vehicles (ID. Series)

ID.3: Compact electric hatchback
ID.4: Compact electric SUV
ID.5: Coupé SUV form
ID.Buzz: Minivan-type model
ID.7: Mid-size sedan

Hybrid Models

Golf GTE / eHybrid
Passat GTE
Arteon PHEV

Commercial Vehicles

Caddy
Transporter
Crafter
Amarok (pickup)

Global Production Network and Financial Data

As of 2024, Volkswagen produced a total of 9 million vehicles at 115 production facilities located in 27 countries. The number of people directly employed by the group was announced as approximately 170,000. For the same year, the company’s annual sales revenue was €324.7 billion, and its operating profit was €19.1 billion. The net cash flow of the automotive division stood at €5 billion.

Market Distribution

In 2024, Volkswagen’s deliveries increased by 18.4% in the North American market and by 21.1% in South America compared to the previous year. Although there was a decline in delivery volume in the Chinese market, the company continues its operations in this region. The SUV segment accounted for approximately half of total sales in 2024. Special edition series of the Polo model were offered in the same year to mark its 50th anniversary.

Strategic Goals

Volkswagen plans to make electric vehicles a significant part of its product portfolio by 2030. The company’s strategic priorities include sustainability in production processes, integration of digital infrastructures, data security, and ethical compliance. In line with its long-term goals, the company is developing transportation solutions with high energy efficiency.

Volkswagen