VW Training Engineers for EVs

Last week, Thomas Ulbrich, Member of the brand Board of Management responsible for E-Mobility, Volkswagen, said, “Within three years, Volkswagen will be starting production of a total of 27 electric car models for four brands in three regions of the world. At the Zwickau plant alone, models of three Group brands will roll off the production lines.”

In addition, his colleague Oliver Wessel, head of the Pilot Hall, which means that he and his colleagues are responsible for creating the means by which products are launched, said, “This year and next year, we will have to master about 80 starts of production.”

Even though not all 80 are electric vehicles, Wessel went on to say, “The vehicles have more digital intelligence on board than ever before. These are severe challenges. And the situation will become even more challenging with the MEB models.”

MEB is the architecture underlying the electric models the Group is rolling out.

Wessel added, “We need start of production specialists who can provide local support at our plants when the need arises and ensure a good start of production. We intend to implement outstanding volume production that meets our high-quality requirements.”

To accomplish the unprecedented task of launching 27 new electric vehicles, Volkswagen has established what it calls a “comprehensive e-mobility competence program.” It is FEEP—Future Electronic Engineer Program. They are training 100 young engineers and skilled workers from around the world at a pilot hall within the Wolfsburg complex. The training program will last three years.

Once completed, they’ll be dispatched to the various Volkswagen plants around the world where electrified vehicles will be produced.

While Volkswagen has publicly stated that it is committed to launching electric vehicles, it is clear that by establishing the FEEP program and creating a highly trained group of individuals who are oriented toward the task, this is more than mere rhetoric.