---
title: "Volkswagen Will Spend $40 Billion on Electric Vehicles and Self-Driving Cars Through 2022"
description: "Time to open up the check book."
date: "2017-11-17"
modified: "2017-11-17"
authors:
  - name: "Stephen Edelstein"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/16183/volkswagen-will-spend-40-billion-on-electric-vehicles-and-self-driving-cars-through-2022"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Self-Driving Tech"
  - "Volkswagen News"
tags:
  - "Electric Cars"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "self-driving cars"
  - "Volkswagen"
  - "VW"
---

# Volkswagen Will Spend $40 Billion on Electric Vehicles and Self-Driving Cars Through 2022

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/08/20170819-vwbuzzhero.jpg>)
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Over the past couple of years, Volkswagen has unveiled a series of autonomous and electric [concept cars](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/14268/volkswagen-refines-the-crozz-electric-car-prototype-for-the-frankfurt-motor-show>) and announced plans to make electric cars a bigger part of its business. Now, Germany's largest automaker is putting its money where its mouth is. VW's board has earmarked more than **€**34 billion ($40 billion) for development of autonomous and electric cars through 2022.

The investment will drive VW closer to its goal of offering a hybrid or all-electric version of everything it makes [by 2030](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14260/the-volkswagen-group-will-offer-electrified-versions-of-its-entire-lineup-by-2030>). That includes every one of the more than 300 models across the company's multiple brands, which stretch from the likes of SEAT and Skoda to the super-luxury brands of Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.

Volkswagen previously said the electrification push will include 80 new models by 2025—50 all-electric cars and 30 plug-in hybrids. Leading the charge (no pun intended) will be a family of models based on the company's new MEB platform, including a production version of the retro [I.D. Buzz concept](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/13639/volkswagen-confirms-it-will-build-the-i-d-buzz-in-2022>), due in 2022. Audi and Porsche will launch their e-tron and Mission E electric cars, respectively, before the end of the decade. VW has also said it will build [electric trucks and buses](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/15046/volkswagen-will-build-electric-trucks-buses-by-2022>).

A quick ramp-up of electric-car production will help Volkswagen expunge the last vestiges of bad publicity from its diesel-emissions scandal, and give the company a way to meet stricter U.S. emissions standards now that it can't rely on diesels. It will also help VW meet [new electric car quotas in China](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14738/china-sets-2019-deadline-for-automakers-to-meet-electric-car-plug-in-hybrid-sales-targets>), which take effect in 2019. The company has already said it will [spend $12 billion](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/16163/volkswagen-to-invest-12-billion-in-electric-cars-for-china>) on electric cars for the Chinese market.

All of those electric cars will require a lot of batteries, and Volkswagen plans to recruit a supplier rather than build its own equivalent to Tesla's Gigafactory. The automaker is currently seeking a partner to supply it with 50 billion euros ($59 billion) worth of batteries.

## Author
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/SAEdelstein>)