The company organizes many premieres in Poland. 30 new species in 2024

Carla Wentzel answers questions

A rapidly changing market requires decisive action and bold decisions. Competitors from China are starting to take their toll on European manufacturers, and the transition to electric cars is not going well in every market. Hard times? Indeed, but the Volkswagen group plans to go through the changes as easily as possible while maintaining profitability, which is important for business.

President of the Volkswagen Group PolandCarla Wentzel, has been in office for more than 100 days. Replaced in this position Pavla Å olcawho returned to the headquarters of the brand after the end of the 3-year contract Skoda. The first female president of Volkswagen Group Polska met us to answer a few questions. Carla Wentzel, from the Republic of South Africa, has worked in markets all over the world, for the last 5 years she has been involved with the VW group in Ireland, and in an interview with us she revealed a secret about the future … the new prime ministers. He also revealed how the company is handling the issue of Chinese competition.

100 days as president. This is how Carla Wentzel sees the Polish market

Maciej Lubczyński: The first 100 days in the new position have passed. Has the Polish market managed to surprise you yet?

Carla Wentzel, President of the Management Board of Volkswagen Group Polska: My opinion is very positive. Poland surprised me with its technological progress – cashless payments, Blik, have been widely implemented and the IT systems work brilliantly, eg the fact that drivers do not have to carry their driving licenses and car documents with them is unique. Another surprise? I did not expect that Poles love their cars so much. They develop a real relationship with cars and an attachment to cars. They also like to travel around Europe. It’s a very nice surprise. When it comes to electromobility, the understanding of this area is not yet widespread and it is clear that we are at the beginning of the road.

Poland is not a market with a large share of EVs. What, in your opinion, would make Poles more willing to switch to electric cars?

First of all, I believe there is no quick fix. This is a journey that will take time, but we must understand and accept that electric vehicles are the future of personal vehicles. Volkswagen relies on this technology and is undergoing major changes. We become a supplier of sustainable transport solutions from the car manufacturer, and this is a more comprehensive approach. Switching to an EV is a big, important decision and almost everyone has an opinion about it, but not everyone has enough knowledge. This is confirmed by the PSPA study, which shows that the awareness of electromobility is not very high. Only 14% of respondents described their knowledge in this area as good or very good. Therefore, we have to start with education and raise awareness – we have to enable people to drive an electric car and experience its features and benefits. Example – I came to today’s meeting Warsaw from Poznan Volkswagen ID.7 and it was a wonderful trip – great weather, great car. On the way we passed the charger, but despite driving many times at the maximum speed allowed in Poland of 140 km / h, we did not have to pay the car – we arrived in Warsaw with 16 percent of energy left. We used the free Porsche Destination Charger at the hotel and the car is now ready for the return journey. As a result, this trip Poznań-Warsaw-Poznań turns out to be not only relaxing and relaxing, but also cheaper compared to a combustion car. Consumers should have the experience to form their own opinion, this will make it easier to decide to switch to EV.

I find that a lot depends on the possibility of a given person’s payment each day and what method they handle. Therefore, another issue that I think should be considered is infrastructure. The distance in Poland is great, and certainly greater than in Ireland, where I have spent recent years. People will not want to take electric cars on the road until they know there is a developed and reliable infrastructure waiting for them on the road. We see great progress in this regard, the number of chargers is already increasing, but launching a new charger takes a very long time, even up to two years.

Switching to EVs should also be ecologically justified. In this regard, we also see that Poland is moving in the right direction, switching from coal energy to alternative sources. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of this decade, this generation. Therefore, we have a moral responsibility to lead the development of technology and ensure that the switch to electric vehicles reduces emissions and is environmentally friendly.

Chinese cars on the European market. Volkswagen has a clear plan

Chinese cars are no longer curiosities and are beginning to attract more and more customers to showrooms. Do you have a plan to face competition from the Middle Kingdom?

Above all, as the Volkswagen Group, we stand for business freedom. Everyone should have the same opportunities. What does the presence of Chinese competitors mean for us? Competition appears and, as a result, innovation occurs. More innovation means better efficiency, which translates into lower costs. We should, in a certain sense, cooperate, also with producers from the Middle Kingdom. Climate is a global issue, we cannot deal with climate change alone. We cannot ignore the Chinese market, which is huge. The Volkswagen Group has been present in the Chinese market for 40 years. China this is the biggest market for us. Volkswagen has developed a very comprehensive strategy In China For China. We cooperate with organizations and corporations in China and do a lot of business there. That’s where we built, among others: a research and development center and there we focus on developing affordable and modern solutions. In short, we have to adapt to change and we cannot ignore China. Back to market competition, our strength is our brands, their position and a large portfolio of cars, we have an offer for every customer, no matter what type of car and what car they are looking for. We offer modern, economical and powerful combustion cars, we introduce the next generation of plug-in hybrids and, of course, many new electric models, such as the aforementioned Volkswagen ID.7.

Products are like children, from a parent’s point of view it is difficult to choose a favorite and you cannot focus on one. Are there any brands on the Polish market that are doing better than average?

I have to answer this question carefully because I am responsible for all brands and cannot favor any one. As I mentioned, we offer cars for every customer, and brands respond to various needs. However, I can mention some great achievements. For example Audi, which in Poland in 2023 was number 1 in the premium segment. An interesting thing is the incredible sales of premium products in Poland. The results of the Cupra brand, which is growing very quickly and successfully in Poland and Europe, are also very promising. And it’s not easy to build a new brand from scratch. We also see opportunities and rapid growth Porsche brand and we will strive to further expand our distribution network and promote its success. In summary, we have wonderful children in our family, all of them are successful, and several of them definitely shine and now they have their 5 minutes.

The year of the first exhibition in the Volkswagen group. Something will happen in 2024

Are the group’s first major shows planned for this year?

This year we will present 30 new models, including combustion vehicles, the second generation of plug-in hybrids and, of course, many electric vehicles. One of the most important is the new, electric Porsche Macan – an important example for the brand, which we have already met. For Skoda, it will be the Elroq, the brand’s second electric SUV, and the new one Superb and Kodiaq. For Audi, the big event is the premiere of the Q6, based on the new PPE platform, this is a model we have high expectations for. There will also be a lot going on for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand – including: the new Volkswagen Transporter, important from a commercial vehicle perspective, will debut. The new long-wheelbase ID.Buzz version is also capable. Of course, Volkswagen prepared an important exhibition – the new, new Golf Tiguan, New pass are important examples. The Tiguan with a plug-in hybrid drive system has a range of up to 120 km in electric mode, and can recharge very quickly with a power of 50 kW. Fully electric cars are also making their debut, such as the ID.7, which has already entered the market and met with great reception. This model will soon be available in a Tourer version. Of course, we should also mention the long-awaited and very emotional moment CuprÄ™ Tavascan. Undoubtedly, this is a year of many interesting and very important shows.