Volkswagen, SAIC open new Shanghai Volkswagen plant in China; beginning production of VW Polo

26 July 2012

The Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor Corporation Ltd. have inaugurated their Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) plant in Yizheng, Eastern China. The plant, which is now producing the Polo, is designed for an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles.

Yizheng, with press, body and paint shops as well as a final assembly unit, is the second plant producing the Polo in China; plans are for it to produce ŠKODA models in the next stage.

Yizheng uses geothermal energy for the heating and cooling of the factory halls. For recharging transfer trucks at the plant and as well as employees’ e-bikes, solar panels are used throughout the plant.

The People’s Republic of China is the Volkswagen Group’s largest sales market. In 2011, Volkswagen delivered 2.26 million vehicles to customers in China. In the first half of 2012, deliveries rose by 17.5% to about 1.30 million units. With new products in line with market requirements, the objective of Volkswagen Group China is to increase annual production capacity to about four million units by 2018.