Tag Archives: VW

SEAT is still alive

In the last few years, many thought that Seat was dead, but the Spanish brand managed to show that it is still alive and ready to give its best. The year 2023 was the best in the history of this manufacturer, and the first indicators show that the year 2024 could be more successful.

The year 2019 was really bad for Seat, and the beginning of the pandemic made it look like the manufacturer would not get away. At that time, Volkswagen decided not to pay so much attention to this manufacturer, which ultimately turned out to be a good move for Seat. From 33 million euros in 2022, the operating profit reached 625 million euros in the following year.

The beginning of 2024 shows that this year could also be successful, because the sales results in the first five months are above expectations. In the first five months, Seat delivered 121,169 new vehicles in Europe, which is a growth of 10.3 percent compared to last year when 109,827 vehicles were delivered. Also, according to the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Seat sold 4,385 cars in May, which is 21.1% more than in the same month of 2023. This is the best result in the VW group.

These results were supported by the fact that customers, due to the increase in the price of electric cars, are still buying ICE vehicles. Seat has five models in its fleet (Ibiza, Arona, Ateca, Leon and Tarraco), none of which are all-electric. The Ibiza, Arona and Ateca are the best-selling models, and only the Leon and Tarraco come with hybrid versions.

Current models with refreshed editions remain on the market for at least the next four years, but the question of electrification remains open.

Source: Seat

VW is developing a new EV that will cost up to 20,000 euros

Demand for electric cars is on the rise, but rising prices could affect demand in the near future, so manufacturers are scrambling to prepare in advance and offer cheaper options. VW has decided to launch a new EV at an affordable price of around 20,000 euros by 2027.

For now, there is no official information about the car, but the teaser reveals that it is a futuristic-looking hatchback, which will only be available to European customers. “Generations of people associate the strong brands of the Volkswagen Group with their first car, as well as with affordable mobility. As a group with strong brands, we continue this social responsibility. That is why I am very pleased that we will launch a future-oriented project. It is the entry of electric mobility from Europe for Europe,” said Oliver Blume, director of the Volkswagen Group.

It should be noted that Volkswagen has been thinking about offering compact and affordable electric vehicles for some time. “For electromobility to become widespread, attractive vehicles are needed, especially in the entry-level segment. Our brand promises that electromobility is for everyone. Despite the attractive price, our electric cars will set standards in the entry-level segment in terms of technology, design, quality and user experience,” said brand director Thomas Schäfer.

Volkswagen is currently developing several electric city cars, which will reach the market by the end of next year. All of them will be produced in Spain and will cost less than 25,000 euros.

Source: Volkswagen

Chinese manufacturer Aiways is moving to Europe

China has been the leader in the production of electric cars for years, and now it has become an overcrowded market with a large number of manufacturers who are finding it increasingly difficult to survive. One of them is Aiways, which in the battle of giants like BYD, Tesla or VW, decided to leave the domestic market.

Aiways Automobiles was founded in 2017, and from the very beginning, the goal was to develop a range of SUVs with electric drive. Now the company has announced that it has no plans to stay in the Chinese market due to the intense price pressure and competition that exists in this market, and that the center of global sales operations is moving to Europe (Germany).

After financial problems that forced the company to suspend car production at the Shangrao plant, Aiways still managed to find a way out and continue operations. They are currently working on a new crossover that, according to the company’s plans, should attract a larger number of customers with a low price and ensure better days for the manufacturer. According to Autocar, for now Aiways does not intend to transfer production to European soil, so the U5 and U6 models will continue to be produced in China.

Source: Autocar

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