Bidirectional Charging, AI, & Semiconductors — Volkswagen’s IAA Announcements

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Volkswagen made a series of announcements at the largest auto show in its homeland, and one of the largest in the world, IAA in Munich, Germany. From bidirectional charging to AI to semiconductors, the company was apparently trying to push the envelope and look more interesting and innovative than companies putting out typical concept cars and leaving it at that. Let’s roll through the announcements and look at what Volkswagen has been focusing on.

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Semiconductors at the Core of Automotive Innovation: Volkswagen Group Highlights Procurement Strategy and Rivian Alliance at the IAA

• Volkswagen Group’s new procurement model with Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies covers more than 50 semiconductor categories, streamlining procurement, reducing costs, and securing supply for future vehicle models
• Future-ready semiconductor strategy strengthens transparency, reduces complexity, and ensures supply chain resilience
• The Semiconductor Summit brought together top executives from leading semiconductor companies, key automotive suppliers, and representatives from associations and research institutions, highlighting the growing connection between the automotive and semiconductor industries

Wolfsburg/Munich. Volkswagen Group united industry leaders at the 4th Semiconductor Summit during IAA Mobility in Munich to provide insights on its semiconductor procurement strategy while strengthening partnerships and advancing innovation between the automotive and semiconductor industries. A highlight of this year’s Summit was Volkswagen Group’s new level procurement model with Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies, covering more than 50 semiconductor categories. These include core components such as microcontrollers, power transistors, and printed circuit boards that power and connect modern vehicles. The initiative reflects the Group’s proactive approach to expand its supplier base, build resilient partnerships, and strengthen its ambition to become the Global Automotive Tech Driver.

Full press release here.

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Elli launches bidirectional charging pilot and starts recruiting

• Energy independence at home: At IAA Mobility 2025, Elli is launching a comprehensive pilot project for bidirectional charging of electric vehicles. This technology can reduce charging costs⁰¹ by up to 75%⁰². At the same time, Elli starts recruiting pilot participants in Germany.
• Energy market trading: In a follow-up project, Elli will make the energy stored in EVs available via a virtual power plant connected to the European Power Exchange (EPEX). Elli’s in-house trading team ensures continuous market access 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Driving the energy transition in Europe: The goal is to integrate Elli-operated large-scale storage systems and bidirectional charging solutions into a “Managed Battery Network” (MBN). This network will help stabilize the use of volatile renewable energy and accelerate the energy transition across Europe.

Munich. At IAA Mobility 2025, Volkswagen Group subsidiary Elli presents a pilot project for bidirectional (“Bidi”) charging in private households for the first time. In the future, homes can be powered by EV batteries and the home’s solar power system.

Full press release here.

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Made in Europe: Volkswagen, PowerCo and Elli launch pioneering battery and energy technologies

• World premiere I: First Group test vehicle with solid-state battery
• World premiere II: PowerCo Unified Cell and Cell-to-Pack battery for Electric Urban Car Family
• World premiere III: Elli builds first large-scale storage system in Salzgitter
• CEO Oliver Blume: “The Volkswagen Group is pushing ahead with technological progress at full speed”

Munich. The Volkswagen Group and its subsidiaries PowerCo and Elli are pushing sustainable mobility “made in Europe” at the IAA Mobility 2025. They are showcasing pioneering technologies for the automotive industry: The world’s first Group test vehicle with solid-state battery provides a glimpse of the battery technology of tomorrow. PowerCo’s Unified Cell, which will be used for the first time in the Electric Urban Car Family of Volkswagen, ŠKODA and CUPRA, is ready for series production. In combination with the new battery system, it will provide a technological leap in terms of performance, cost efficiency and flexibility. The Volkswagen Group is consistently expanding its know-how in e-mobility and now has the broadest range of technologies on the market – from combustion engines to PHEVs and all-electric vehicles to battery and energy technologies.

Full press release here.

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Sharpened design philosophy of the Volkswagen Group as the key to sustainable brand success

• Exact definition of brand identities for clear differentiation and targeted customer approach
• Oliver Blume: “We want to use design as a strategic technology driver – as a way of thinking that shapes and develops brand identity”
• Michael Mauer: “The task of Group Design is to define and coordinate the design principles together with the brands and with a view to their customer target groups – individual positioning is our recipe for success”
• Presentation of the design philosophy of the Volkswagen, Scout and Porsche brands at the IAA in Munich

Wolfsburg. Each brand of the Volkswagen Group has its own strong identity that has grown over many years. In addition to the technological profile, design plays a decisive role in individual positioning on the market and an optimal customer approach. Under the leadership of Michael Mauer, Volkswagen Group Design, together with the design managers of the brands, has sharpened the respective design criteria and given them a formal structure. It presents the different values, target groups and characters of the brands in a consistent and differentiated way. To support this process, a structuring model based on archetypal role models was used as a creative tool to describe brand personalities. The Volkswagen Group will be presenting the design philosophies of the Volkswagen, Scout and Porsche brands as examples at the IAA in Munich.

Full press release here.

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Boosting innovation, reshaping mobility: Volkswagen Group invests in AI

• Up to one billion euros in investments planned by 2030 for AI-driven vehicle development, industrial applications, and high-performance IT infrastructure.
• Efficiency gains and cost avoidance opportunities of up to four billion euros expected by 2035.
• AI is set to significantly accelerate development processes for new vehicle models and technologies.
• Expansion of European infrastructure: Volkswagen is strengthening its digital resilience against external risks and influences.
• Hauke Stars, Member of the Board of Management for IT at Volkswagen Group: “AI is our key to greater speed, quality, and competitiveness. Our ambition: No process without AI.”

Wolfsburg/Munich. Volkswagen Group intends to invest up to one billion euros in the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030 as part of its existing investment planning. The company announced this during the IAA Mobility trade fair. The focus is on AI-supported vehicle development, industrial applications, and the expansion of high-performance IT infrastructures. The goal is to make vehicles and innovations available to customers even faster. At the same time, Volkswagen expects sustainable efficiency gains through the consistent use of AI — and a strengthened, more resilient position in the global technology competition.

Full press release here.

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That’s quite a series of announcements. But where will all of those things go? Is Volkswagen going to lead on AI? Is its bidirectional charging program going to be very successful and scale up?