The Volkswagen Group has reached a production milestone, manufacturing five million electric drive units globally. The company’s plants in Győr, Kassel, Tianjin, and Zuffenhausen contributed to this achievement, reflecting the group’s efforts to expand e-mobility across brands and regions.
Volkswagen Group Components played a significant role in this development. In 2025, the Kassel plant increased its electric drive output by approximately 24 percent compared to the previous year, producing over 850,000 units.
Currently, the most widely used electric drive in the group is the APP550. This unit is featured in models such as Volkswagen’s ID. family, Škoda Enyaq, and CUPRA Tavascan. One million APP550 drives have been produced at Kassel alone. According to Volkswagen Group, “This drive system is raising the bar in the Volkswagen Group’s volume segment in terms of efficiency, driving dynamics and acoustics. Despite having the same dimensions as the predecessor model, it consumes around 20 percent less energy but increases torque and power by around 75 percent and 40 percent respectively – a marked improvement with respect to range, acceleration and noise levels. In series production the APP550 delivers up to 240 kW and up to 560 Nm. The combined oil and water cooling system optimizes temperature control without requiring an additional pump.”
The company notes that its integrated network oversees all aspects of electric drive system development—engineering, industrialization, power electronics, and logistics—with centers like Kassel enabling technologies such as pulse inverters for mass production.
Volkswagen also announced plans for its own pulse inverter technology. “The pulse inverter developed by Volkswagen Group Components will have advantages over externally sourced inverters by allowing for faster product development, cost reductions and more independent production – for future electric drive systems across multiple brands,” according to Volkswagen Group.
Additionally, upcoming models in the Electric Urban Car Family—including ID. Polo, Škoda Epiq and CUPRA Raval—will benefit from new APP290 motors using silicon carbide semiconductors for improved performance and range. These motors will be available at various performance levels from 85 kW (116 PS) up to 166 kW (226 PS), utilizing 400V technology.
