Audi Volkswagen Korea is now Volkswagen Group Korea

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Audi Volkswagen Korea is now Volkswagen Group Korea

Published: 31 Mar. 2022, 15:13 Updated: 01 Apr. 2022, 14:42

Till Scheer, managing director of Volkswagen Group Korea, speaks during an online press conference held Thursday. [VOLKSWAGEN GROUP KOREA]

Audi Volkswagen Korea changed its name to Volkswagen Group Korea and announced it will introduce 22 new models in the local market this year.

Changing the company name is in line with the German company's recently announced "New Auto" strategy, where it pledged to maximize synergies across segments and brands while reducing complexity and redundancy.

Volkswagen Group Korea oversees four auto brands: Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini.

An additional brand under Volkswagen Group which is not yet marketed in Korea is also expected to come to the country soon, the automaker said, without disclosing the brand.

"In tandem with the group's strategy, we will focus on introducing various new and attractive models, maximizing the synergy between the group and its brands to offer a higher level of experience for our customers and laying the foundation for sustainable growth," said Till Scheer, managing director of Volkswagen Group Korea, during an online press conference held Thursday.

Volkswagen Group Korea said it will be selling 22 new models this year, including five all-electric models.

The list includes Volkswagen's ID.4 and Audi's Q4 e-tron, both of which will come in the second half of the year. Details on the remaining three models from Audi have not yet been confirmed.

To cope with increasing sales of electric models, the group will focus on setting up more chargers and service centers that are able to repair electric vehicles (EVs).

It said 29 of its 79 service centers will be able to repair EVs, one of which will be able to repair high-voltage batteries.

It will train up to 587 EV specialists and 122 high-voltage batteries specialists.

Of chargers at dealers, 23 percent will be rapid chargers.

"Korea is much advanced in charging infrastructure. I do believe Korea is one of the countries that has the highest density of chargers," Scheer said.

"We will continue to explore ways to elevate the convenience in charging. For example, we are offering customer-only reservation and on-demand charging service."

He said the group is also exploring options for sharing the chargers across its brands.

In 2021, 40,838 vehicles were sold by the four brands in Korea, down 6 percent.

Sales of diesel-powered vehicles dropped by 18 percent, gasoline-powered vehicle sales rose 14 percent and battery-powered vehicle sales rose by 3 percent.