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 emissions scandal. Seven 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 over 18.9 billion euros in 2022. That same year, the manufacturer had increased its global battery-electric vehicle sales by around 26.3 percent compared to its 2021 record. This spike was partly through selling its ID.4 model, which was the only European model ranked among the ten best-selling plug-in electric vehicles worldwide in 2022. Electric commercial vehicles were the manufacturer's least popular in terms of alternative fuel, with its brand MAN recording some 900 sales of battery-electric trucks in 2022.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 2022, Audi was the manufacturer's second leading brand, representing some 22.1 percent of the VW Group's vehicle sales revenue but over 12.6 percent of its sales volume. Audi also ranked second among consumer satisfaction in the United States, behind one of its main luxury competitors, Lexus. Audi's contribution to Volkswagen Group's financial performan was only outweighed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars, the company's eponymous brand, which was the best-selling car brand in the European Union in December 2022.
