Salzgitter

Volkswagen takes on US, China rivals with battery factory

Volkswagen celebrated the beginning of work on its first in-house battery factory, as the German auto giant looks to head off competition from U.S. and Chinese electric vehicle upstarts.

The firm plans to "steer the worldwide battery offensive" from the new plant in Salzgitter in central Germany, CEO Herbert Diess told a ceremony on July 7 attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.