Volkswagen plans to double staff numbers at its charging and energy division, roll out new payment technology next year and strike more alliances to take on Tesla in a key electric vehicle (EV) battleground: power infrastructure.

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https://reut.rs/3wQop01, and it is planning to spend 35 billion euros on battery EVs by 2025. Global automaker EV & battery investments, https://graphics.reuters.com/CLIMATE-UN/AUTOS-EV/jnvwexwgqvw/chart.png

PLAYING CATCH UP

But when it comes to the networks of fast-chargers that many analysts believe are crucial for bringing EVs into the mainstream, VW has some catching up to do.

Tesla has been rolling out high-performance Superchargers for years and has a global network of about 30,000 fast-chargers that it says can give a 200 km (125 mile) boost in 15 minutes.

The company said in October that its own network has doubled in the past 18 months - and will triple over the next two years.

Volkswagen, meanwhile expects its network of fast-chargers to nearly quadruple to about 45,000 by 2025 - when it aims to overhaul Tesla as the global EV market leader - with 18,000 EV pumps in Europe, 17,000 in China and 10,000 in North America.

Volkswagen in March said it plans to spend 400 million euros on expanding its fast-charging network on the continent by then.

But that`s a drop in the ocean compared with the 5 billion euros the European Union reckons is needed every year until 2040 to expand charging infrastructure on the continent, and it is raising the pressure on utilities and governments to step up.

In Europe, the Volkswagen group is a shareholder in the EU`s fast-charging venture Ionity, along with rival carmakers BMW, Daimler`s Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Hyundai.

It has also teamed up with energy firms such as Italy`s Enel, Britain`s BP and Spain`s Iberdrola to plug geographical gaps and form the blueprint for how funding for EV infrastructure can be split across industries.

"Various models are conceivable, from product partnerships and joint ventures to M&A," said Temme. Global automaker EV & battery investments, https://graphics.reuters.com/CLIMATE-UN/AUTOS-EV/myvmnkgmypr/chart.png

CARS AND POWER

Tesla has already shown that when it comes to EVs, just selling cars no longer cuts it. It has adopted a model that offers customers everything from cars to battery storage to solar panels as well as electricity https://reut.rs/3FjTlc2 in some U.S. states.

Volkswagen is now selling power to retail clients that drive an EV or plug-in hybrids. One of its tariffs - which is available to customers who don`t own a VW - has attracted more than 10,000 clients since its launch in July, Temme said.

She said VW was planning to make its fast-chargers available for all EV drivers, unlike Tesla which has so far kept its supercharging network just for Tesla drivers - with the exception of a pilot programme in the Netherlands.

"We are pursuing a different approach than Tesla when it comes to charging infrastructure roll-out," said Temme.

"We want an open, non-discriminatory charging network and will develop our services to make our offer more comfortable, simpler, more attractive."

Volkswagen says its open-for-all approach means buyers of its EVs can charge at more than 250,000 existing public charging points across Europe - from various providers with various charging speeds.

The problem is that charging protocols and payment methods can vary across vendors, potentially turning the act of refueling an EV into a time-consuming and messy undertaking.

From the first quarter of 2022, Volkswagen plans to offer "Plug & Charge" technology in Europe to make the process smoother.

The car will store the owner`s payment details and make a contactless payment when the charging plug is attached to the EV at refuelling stations set up for the service.

While these are new challenges for established carmakers, Temme, who witnessed first-hand the abrupt shift of Germany`s utilities away from nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, believes they can be mastered.

"Utilities must reinvent themselves and transition from nuclear and coal to renewables. In the automotive industry, including at Volkswagen, the question is currently how to consistently shift the focus from conventional vehicles to sustainable mobility," she said.

"These challenges are of similar magnitude."

($1 = 0.8738 euros)