With VW’s launch of 2,000 electric cars, it begins push into next-generation vehicles
‘We will be a device and software company," VW’s Michael Jost said at a Berlin media conference introducing a car-sharing programme
Frankfurt/Berlin — Volkswagen (VW) mapped out details of its transformation from a mass manufacturer of cars to a provider of transportation services, by unveiling a car-sharing service and promising digital acquisitions as part of a €3.5bn push into next-generation vehicles. The plan will kick off in Berlin, where the manufacturer will put 2,000 all-electric vehicles on the road by the second quarter of 2019 under the We Share label, competing with the DriveNow and Car2Go offerings of Daimler and BMW. VW plans to start technology partnerships in 2018, with purchases likely "clearly before Christmas", Juergen Stackmann, head of sales at the VW namesake brand, said in a Bloomberg TV interview. "We will be a device and software company," Michael Jost, the VW brand’s strategy chief, said at a Berlin media conference introducing the car-sharing programme. "To deal with this development, we need to reinvent the automobile."
The We banner will be used for a package of mobile applica...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.