Volkswagen’s ‘Transparent Factory’ in Dresden began series production of the ID.3 today, making it the second German site for that EV and fourth worldwide producing models based on the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB).
The former ‘Centre of Future Mobility’ will steadily transform into the ‘Home of the ID’, VW said.
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Dresden was built about 20 years ago to assemble the VW Phaeton and also assembled other group luxury models, including the Bentley Flying Spur, using bodies and components shipped from other plants. Body and paint shops have since been added.
Thomas Ulbrich, VW’s electric mobility chief, said: “At Dresden we are already converting the fourth Volkswagen site to the new ID. family and the MEB. At the same time we are ramping up volume production in the Zwickau electric car plant and in our two Chinese MEB plants every week. In doing so we reaffirm our ambitions to take on a role as global leaders in electric mobility.”
Plant chief Danny Auerswald added: “The Transparent Factory plays an important role within the Volkswagen brand: Here, visitors, customers and guests come into direct contact with the mobility of tomorrow. We are a production plant, tourist attraction, event location, test lab and delivery centre – all in one. With the start of the production of the ID.31, we are giving the green light for our strategic realignment.”
The Zwickau plant kicked off MEB production. At the end of 2020, the Chinese sites in Anting and Foshan also started production of MEB vehicles. Together, these four plants have a maximum production capacity of more than 900,000 vehicles a year. The next sites in Emden, Hanover and Chattanooga (USA) are also preparing for MEB production.
ID.3 will start with one shift and 35 vehicles from Monday to Friday.
