The scandal with the underreporting of emissions from diesel engines forced the German Volkswagen Group commit themselves to actively introduce in the range of electric vehicles. As the newspaper notes Reuters, the concern management considers it appropriate to build the future of their own companies for the production of traction batteries for electric vehicles. While Volkswagen relies on third-party suppliers in this matter.
Note that the problem of supply of batteries is typical for large manufacturers of electric vehicles. Tesla Motors is building a so-called GigaFactory in Nevada, not only to increase volumes of manufacture of lithium-ion battery cells, but also reduce their cost. Some brands of electric vehicles will be equipped with batteries immediately, in the neighboring departments of the enterprise. Reducing logistics costs also makes Tesla Motors to think about the construction of assembly plants in China and Europe. Most likely, the company for production of batteries will be located in the neighborhood.
Volkswagen Guide explains that the construction of its own "storage plant" makes sense when the batteries needs to be at least three million units per year. This is achievable in the foreseeable future, as the German company intends to gradually increase the share of electric vehicles in its production program to a quarter of the whole range of new vehicles. Starting battery production will require no less than nine thousand new jobs. In light of the inevitable reductions in personnel in the traditional areas of activity, it looks reasonable alternative to dismissal of employees.
In order to cover potential losses from "diesel scandal" the Volkswagen has already formed a compensation fund of $ 19 billion.