For Volkswagen, the transition to electric cars will not happen through bans, but by giving customers concrete reasons to change vehicles. This is the view expressed by Martin Sander, member of the brand’s board responsible for sales, marketing and aftersales. According to him, the success of battery-powered models will depend on removing the obstacles that drivers still see as limiting factors, from charging infrastructure and energy costs to the way the technology itself is communicated.
Volkswagen believes petrol and diesel cars will be swept away by electric vehicles by 2035
“Let’s talk about what we really need to do to convince customers: charging infrastructure, positive communication about the benefits of electric vehicles and maybe something about energy prices,” he explained. This approach puts perceived convenience and the user experience at the centre, as the real factors capable of influencing purchase decisions. According to Sander, only by working on these areas can electric cars become dominant through attractiveness rather than regulatory pressure.
Sander also takes a clear position against the emphasis placed on regulatory deadlines, such as the UK’s 2030 ban on new combustion-engined cars. “I look out of the window and I don’t see many horses, I mostly see cars,” he told Auto Express. “That’s why I hate the discussion about the ban on internal combustion engines. Everybody only talks about the ban. How do you convince customers about a new technology if you only talk about the date when they will no longer be allowed to use vehicles they have been used to for decades?” The comparison with horses, which effectively disappeared from everyday mobility without needing to be banned, sums up the manager’s argument.
Volkswagen is also looking beyond Europe. In China, the group is developing electric cars with range extenders, a solution that does not appear destined for the Old Continent because internal demand would not be strong enough. The experience gained in Asia will nevertheless remain a reference point for other markets. “Everything we learn in China will help us to be competitive in all the other markets in the world where we compete with the Chinese,” Sander stressed, suggesting that the technological and production know-how acquired there has now become a cross-market asset.
If the conditions he describes are met, the scenario outlined by the manager looks radical. By 2035, the share of customers still interested in a car with a combustion engine could fall to 3%, 4% or 5%. This is an ambitious hypothesis for a European market moving at different speeds, but it remains consistent with Wolfsburg’s industrial reading of the transition.
In the background, the economic challenge remains crucial, because the shift requires production scale, efficiency and cost control to withstand pressure from Chinese manufacturers. Volkswagen does not consider this battle optional. “We have to be competitive. There is no alternative,” Sander concluded.
