At Tech Day 2023, Volkswagen Group Technology provided an outlook of upcoming electric car innovations in the areas of batteries, charging and electronic components. The focus was on the electric drive system of the future. For this purpose, Volkswagen is taking care of all the central components itself and, in addition to batteries and electric motors, is now developing pulse inverters and thermal management systems internally. The Volkswagen drive system coming from one source offers significant efficiency and cost advantages: Up to 20 percent more efficiency is possible through the optimal combination of individual components alone.

Oliver Blume, Chair of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Group, said: “The Volkswagen Group and its brands stand for first-class products and technologies. Thanks to the size and breadth of the Group, as well as our in-house expertise, we can leverage enormous economies of scale. This benefits our customers and makes our vehicles even better.”

Thomas Schmall, member of the Volkswagen Group Board of Management with responsibility for Technology, said: “Our goal is to achieve technological leadership, also in electric mobility. That’s why here, too, we rely on our internal competencies and, after battery cells and electric motors, we are taking over the development of pulse inverters and thermal management systems. In future, this will make the Volkswagen Group one of the only car manufacturers in the world that’s able to offer a holistically optimised complete system.”

Daniela Cavallo, Chairwoman of the General Works Council of the Volkswagen Group, added: "The know-how and innovative strength of the Volkswagen colleagues are unique worldwide. Promoting and exploiting this strength again and again helps us not only in competition, but also in the transformation of the company."

“Designed by Volkswagen”: Pulse inverters and thermal management systems

The pulse inverter is the brain of the electric drive train and is largely responsible for efficiency and performance. For the first pulse inverter to be “designed by Volkswagen”, the developers of these core components redesigned the hardware and software from the ground up. Thanks to the modular toolkit principle, this can be implemented in everything from entry-level engines to sports cars with an output of over 500 kW and more in future. The technology is currently being developed for series production maturity and can already be used with the next MEB generation.

When it comes to thermal management systems, Volkswagen is working on entirely new solutions. While today a large number of individual modules and long hose connections are used, in future these will be replaced with an extremely compact, integrated thermal module. This will control the entire air conditioning, including for the high-voltage battery, and thus will have a major impact on the vehicle’s range and fast-charging capability. The new all-in-one module is also significantly lighter, more robust and more efficient than current systems.

In addition to efficiency, the main focus of the development of all central electric drive components is scalability – because high economies of scale reduce costs.

Group Technology: The technology powerhouse of the Group

Volkswagen Group Technology bundles Group-wide activities in the areas of batteries, charging and electric components and supports the and supports the brands as a group-wide technology supplier. The subsidiaries PowerCo (batteries) and Elli (charging and energy) are also involved here. Among other things, the high-tech portfolio comprises the unified cell, which will be utilised in all Volkswagen Group

vehicles as of 2025 and will set a new benchmark in terms of battery technology. The division also includes the Platform Business, which covers cooperation with external partners like Ford and Mahindra. Around the world, Volkswagen Group Technology employs around 70,000 people.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen of America, Inc. unveiled the new 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport at the Chicago Auto Show today. The refreshed seven- and five-seaters offer enhanced technology, upgraded interior designs and materials, and a livelier powertrain.

“The Atlas was the first modern Volkswagen designed, engineered and produced specifically for American buyers, and since its debut, it has become a major player in the U.S. market,” said Pablo Di Si, president and CEO, Volkswagen of America. “The refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport continue to build on that success, with an elegant new interior and a sophisticated turbocharged engine that improves both performance and the driving experience.”

While the refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport maintain the same underpinnings of the successful outgoing models, the spacious interior of each vehicle receives a major upgrade for the 2024 model year. Premium materials are adopted throughout, including a leatherette-trimmed soft-touch dash and center console. Front-row door trim and décor flow seamlessly into the dash panel, creating an upscale cockpit; the door treatment is also mirrored in the second row. Available ambient lighting with 30 color choices pairs with innovative backlit dash décor featuring the model name to elevate the new design. Top-of-range models feature quilted leather seats with a diamond pattern.

Comfort features get a boost as well. A heated steering wheel with shift paddles, ventilated front seats and a height-adjustable passenger seat are now standard fare, along with Climatronic® automatic climate control and Voice Control. The center console is redesigned with a storage cubby underneath. Leather seating surfaces and heated rear seats are now available a trim line lower than previous models.

Enhanced technology in the refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport offers a more connected experience. A 12-inch floating infotainment display is an elegant focal point in the redesigned cockpit, and drivers of every trim level benefit from the 10.25-inch fully configurable Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro. Connecting devices is easier than ever with standard wireless App-Connect, wireless charging, and six USB-C ports (eight available) with 45-watt fast charging.

IQ.DRIVE® driver assistance technology, featuring hands-on semi-automatic capability, is now standard as well. On the highway, IQ.DRIVE features lane centering and a capacitive steering wheel to make driving easier. Around town, IQ.DRIVE helps alert you to surprise obstacles in front of you, and keeps an eye around you to help make driving safer. A head-up display and predictive Adaptive Cruise Control are also available.

Outside, model year 2024 brings a new front end design and greater differentiation between Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. On both cars, a wide chrome four-bar grille is framed by LED headlights with the newly standard Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). On all but base trims, the Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) wrap around the headlights and continue into an illuminated lightbar that sits atop of an illuminated VW logo, giving the vehicle an unmistakable premium look. A new front fascia with integrated air intakes completes the front end treatment. Atlas Cross Sport models feature gloss-black grille details and a gloss-black “X” design element stretching across the lower fascia, similar to Taos.

At the rear, both models add a larger spoiler, lengthening the overall roofline of the vehicles and giving them a sleeker side profile. All but base trims mirror the front lighting signature in the rear with an illuminated lightbar and VW logo sitting between the LED taillights. Atlas Cross Sport models add a more aggressive rear diffuser than the previous generation, further differentiating the two models.

All trims get new wheel designs, ranging from 18 to 20 inches with machined alloy and black finishes available. R-line® trims up the ante with a gloss-black grille, 21-inch aluminium-alloy wheels, and signature R-line badging.

For 2024, the Atlas family will be powered solely by a four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® engine with 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. The new engine provides similar power to the outgoing VR6, a bump in torque—which is available over a broader rev range, improving drivability and acceleration—and is anticipated to provide improved fuel economy. Towing capacity remains the same, at 5,000 pounds. An eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard; Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system is available across the model lineup.

Further details, specifications, and pricing will be announced ahead of the launch early Q3.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

This year, Volkswagen will continue the success story of the million-selling Touareg with a comprehensive technical and visual update of the premium SUV. The rear and front of the luxury SUV have been redesigned, the chassis has been further developed and impresses with its combination of comfort and performance. Before the world premiere in the summer, Volkswagen is now providing a first preview of the update for its top model.

The camouflaged new Touareg is still completing its final test miles in Swedish Lapland. Although the design modifications are still hidden under an oversized QR code wrap, the pictures of the disguised prototype already provide a concrete preview of the first technical details. At the front, for example, it is possible to see the newly developed IQ.LIGHT HD matrix headlights and the elements of an also new LED light strip integrated between them.

IQ.LIGHT HD matrix headlight with 38,400 micro LEDs
HD stands for High Definition, a very high resolution. What is meant is a sea of extremely bright points of light – generated by a total of 38,400 micro LEDs. They turn night into day and ensure significantly more brightness on the road - without dazzling oncoming traffic. 19,200 micro-LEDs are distributed over the new headlights on each side of the vehicle. The matrix system projects an interactive carpet of light into the lane of the luxury SUV. This so-called "lane light" makes driving at night more comfortable and makes it easier to drive through narrow motorway construction sites in the dark, as the carpet of light optimally illuminates the lane.

Illuminated VW logo on the rear. As the first model from Volkswagen, the new Touareg has an illuminated logo on the rear end. Since January 2023, the Volkswagen badge lit up in red has also been permitted in Europe. Previously the shining brand logo was allowed only in markets such as China or the US.

New chassis generation. Volkswagen has further developed the chassis of the always all-wheel drive Touareg. Among other things, a roof load sensor is now used, which is networked with the chassis electronics. The advantage: increased agility when the roof is not loaded. If, on the other hand, a roof box is installed, the sensor recognizes this and passes this information on to assistance systems such as the ESC. This increases the driving stability of the Touareg.

The standard steel spring running gear and the optional two-chamber air suspension running gear have also been given a new setup to achieve an even larger bandwidth between maximum comfort and optimum performance.

Enhanced vehicle interior. The Touareg is equipped with the "Innovision Cockpit". It is operated via the central touchscreen (display diagonal: 38.1 centimeters or 15 inches), the multifunction steering wheel and analogue elements such as the volume control in the center console. The "Innovision Cockpit" of the new Touareg offers, among other things, lane-precise navigation and high-resolution HD map data. Voice control has also been further developed. The app integration via smartphone and "App Connect" (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto) can now also be done wirelessly.

The high quality level of the Touareg was further improved by evaluating customer feedback: the armrests and the center console panels are softer - a plus in comfort. The new Touareg thus also stands for the goal of gearing Volkswagen models even more consistently to the needs of customers. The update makes the Touareg a well-balanced SUV all-rounder that masters long distances as well as everyday life.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Marking the release of Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania”, in U.S. theaters starting February 17, Volkswagen is launching a global 360-degree campaign that puts the ID.4 in the limelight with custom content inspired by the movie. The cooperation is based on the product placement of the all-electric vehicle as the Super Hero’s family car in the upcoming film.

“Marvel Studios films rank among the most successful movies of all time and Ant-Man is one of the most likeable characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Integrating the ID.4 in the movie and the accompanying campaign enables us to reach millions of people all over the world,” says Gilbert Heise, Head of Global Brand Management and Consumer Insights at Volkswagen. “What’s more, the Ant-Man character is a perfect fit for our brand: he is likeable, authentic and has a great sense of humor,” he adds.

Global custom content for social media, TV and movie theaters shows Ant-Man and Cassie Lang in an amusing and elaborately staged sequence with the ID.4.

In the run-up to the film’s release, Volkswagen and Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” are presenting a jointly-created custom spot to kick off the global campaign. The ad, developed and produced by Volkswagen, the Walt Disney Studios partnerships team, and Bullitt, was directed by long-time Marvel Studios collaborator Anthony Leonardi III. Framestore’s award-winning VFX team brought the spot’s shrinking and growing effects to life. The spot will run on social media, TV and in movie theaters: https://youtu.be/5XmuqzfpPU4

“This fun, innovative and integrated campaign brings a relatable storyline to life in an extraordinary way. We are so excited to share it with fans around the world, in celebration of the release of the next installment of the MCU”, said Lylle Breier, SVP Global Marketing Partnerships at Walt Disney Studios.

In addition, a behind-the-scenes featurette will give viewers an inside look at the making of the movie with the placement of the Volkswagen e-SUV ID.4 during production of the film. The vehicle will also be presented on the red carpet at the world premiere in Los Angeles.

“Nowadays, emotional storytelling through this kind of cooperation is enormously important for brands,” explains Salim Yüksel, who is responsible for Future Trends, Strategic Partnerships and Global Branded Entertainment at Volkswagen and jointly leads the project alongside Volkswagen of America. “We are very proud to have brought together our global brands with such a creative project.”

About Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania”:

Super Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard, “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O'Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar. The sci-fi adventure opens in US theaters on Feb. 17, 2023.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com