OREANDA-NEWS. Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel found out more about the product and digitization strategy of European’s leading automaker when she visited Volkswagen’s stand at the IAA on Thursday.

The Federal Chancellor was welcomed by Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, and Dr. Herbert Diess, member of the Group Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Chairman of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand Board of Management.

During the visit, Winterkorn underscored that “for Volkswagen the IAA is the most important motor show – especially at a time of great technological and social change. Our mission is to be the motor of that change.”

Herbert Diess added: “The Volkswagen brand is doing everything it can to help electromobility achieve the breakthrough. Already today, no other volume brand has more electric models in its product range that Volkswagen – both pure-play electric cars and plug in hybrids.” Diess went on to say that Volkswagen would in future be offering a plug-in hybrid in each core model series. He corroborated this announcement by presenting the new Tiguan GTE. According to Diess, “the Tiguan GTE demonstrates the potential of this technology. It has CO2 emissions of only 42 grams, but still has a range in excess of 900 kilometers.” Diess concluded by saying: “Volkswagen’s leitmotif has always been ‘innovation for everyone’. We also intend to fulfill that promise when it comes to the major issues of the future – and that includes electric cars for everyone.”