Volkswagen shifts its fuel type strategy
As of September 30, 2015, it was confirmed that some five million Volkswagen-branded cars, 2.1 million Audi vehicles, 1.2 million Skoda automobiles, 700,000 Seat cars, and 1.8 million VW commercial vehicles were fitted with a defeat device in their engines. These 10.8 million vehicles were thus affected by the Volkswagen diesel deception scandal. Five years on, the company is invested in new drivetrain technologies. Volkswagen aimed to expand its electric car model range and tap into the growing European market for electric vehicles. This innovation is possible through the steady increase of its research and development spending to close to 15.6 billion euros in 2021. In 2021, the manufacturer had increased its global electric vehicle sales by around 79.7 percent compared to its 2020 record. This spike was partly through selling its ID.4 model, ranked among the best-selling plug-in electric vehicles worldwide. Electric commercial vehicles were the manufacturer's least popular in terms of alternative fuel, with its brand MAN recording some 800 sales of battery-electric trucks in 2021.Volkswagen's most successful brands
Although Volkswagen is the group's most prolific marque, the automotive company has acquired several other brands over the last few years. Volkswagen's most notable brands include Audi, Bentley, SEAT, Porsche, and Škoda. In addition to its commercial vehicle segment, the automaker finalized a deal to acquire U.S.-based Navistar and owns Scania and MAN, two European manufacturers of commercial vehicles and engines. The Volkswagen Group also holds stakes in the Ducati motorcycle brand.In 2020, Audi was the manufacturer's second leading brand, representing some 21 percent of the VW Group's vehicle sales revenue and over 17 percent of its sales. The luxury brand produced some 1.8 million vehicles worldwide in 2020, just below the 2.2 million of its main competitor, BMW. Audi also ranked high among consumer satisfaction in the United States, higher than the VW Group's namesake brand.
