Is it really the case that VW takes so much longer to produce a car? In the case of the electric cars from Zwickau, it should even be three times as long. Doesn't VW already produce more variants than Tesla, which of course also extends the production time? Has Tesla really moved closer to VW in terms of quality?

After all, the ID.3 had and still has problems with the software and received criticism due to the choice of materials, but there were almost no doubts about the workmanship of the body as it was with Tesla. Well, if one manage to reduce production times with newer production methods, all the better.

This should not be possible in ongoing production and also not so easily in an existing plant. The former can be believed, the latter less so. Because at some point, if VW remained successful, the existing plant in Wolfsburg would also have to be converted. In any case, it is surprising that nobody is talking about Emden, where the second conversion of a plant is currently taking place.

To get to the point, the all-too-rapid planning of a new plant in 2026 near the existing huge manufacturing facilities seems to be a response to the CEO's expressed plans for eventual layoffs. This takes the wind out of the sails of the criticism from the powerful works council. There is hope that, in addition to a gentle reduction in staff, a takeover at the new plant will one day be possible.

Perhaps there is also a chance of production at lower cost here, which will certainly be of great necessity after the final expiry of the government subsidy. Also Tesla certainly can't lower prices indefinitely if the quarterly figures weaken somewhat due to increased competition.

And then there are the Chinese, who are obviously in the starting blocks and do not produce in Germany. There seems to be more room in prices. Perhaps we will then see the huge machine (Giga Press) working at VW, which supposedly produces the entire substructure of a front end in one piece.

At this point we should perhaps add wishes in addition to the expectation of lower ex-works prices. Namely, that some things will change with the batteries and will be part of the series production by 2026. First of all, that would be a different packing (e.g. CATL) within the battery, which is used either for greater range or less thickness.

In addition, the battery should become more part of the chassis, which would save weight. In addition, you should develop more courage in the direction of lithium iron phosphate and make cobalt completely superfluous on the plus side. Just peering and waiting for the solid-state battery does not help either. Tesla is already using such LFP batteries, is offering its Model 3 from China with a shorter range at a slightly cheaper price and certainly does not earn badly with it.

The emphasis in the Artemis projects is a little too much on autonomous driving and in Trinity it feels a little too much on software, both of which are problems that Volkswagen drivers may not have to the same extent. If the current problems with the software were solved and customers were not still being asked to go to the workshop, a lot would already have been done.