OREANDA-NEWS. Ma Kai, Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, visited the Volkswagen Group in Wolfsburg on Monday. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, and Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft responsible for China, welcomed Ma Kai and his high-ranking delegation to Group headquarters. In Wolfsburg, he informed himself about the initiatives of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft for environmentally compatible mobility in China and Volkswagen's major electro-mobility campaign. By 2018, Volkswagen will be introducing to the Chinese market 20 new models with alternative powertrains, many of which will be produced locally.

Winterkorn provided the delegation with comprehensive information on the research activities of the Group and especially the electro-mobility campaign in the key market of China. "Volkswagen is committed to forging ahead with electro-mobility in China and to taking a leading role in technology and sales in this area by 2018," Winterkorn explained. He expects Volkswagen Group China to sell a six-figure number of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles by 2020.

Volkswagen is opening its new vehicle plant in Changcha in 2015 and an engine plant in Changchun will also start production this year. In 2017/2018, there will be two further vehicle plants in Quingdao and Tianjin. The Volkswagen Group is a powerful motor for China as a high-tech location. In the environmentally compatible technology field, the Group is committed to innovations made in China and made for China.

With 19 locations and almost 3.5 million vehicles produced in 2014, China is the largest market for the Volkswagen Group. By 2019, manufacturing capacity is to be boosted to five million vehicles. Together with its Chinese partners, Volkswagen is investing €22 billion in highly advanced vehicles and powertrains, environmentally compatible technologies and resource-conserving production in China by 2019.