Electric Volkswagen ID California camper, third Porsche EV confirmed

The Volkswagen Group has outlined plans to electrify a greater proportion of its European factories – in doing so confirming a range of new electric cars, across its Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley and other brands.

Leading the charge are upgrades to Volkswagen's Hanover factory – currently home to the Volkswagen Transporter van – which will go electric and produce the Group's new 'Artemis' family (also known as the 'Landjet'), set to launch first as an Audi.

The plant will also be home to a new model from Bentley – believed to be related to the Audi Artemis vehicle, according to reports – though it's believed only the British car's bodywork will be produced in the German facility, with final assembly expected to instead take place in the UK.

The Hanover factory will produce a new ID. California, a camper version of the brand's upcoming Kombi-inspired ID. Buzz electric van people mover – but whereas the ID. Buzz will launch in 2022 in 'People Mover' and 'Cargo' forms, the ID. California isn't slated to arrive until the second half of the decade.

Hanover was previously earmarked for a new Porsche model – believed to be part of the Artemis/Landjet program – for launch in 2025, alongside its Audi and Bentley twins.

However, these plans have changed, with the German sports car maker now build two electric cars at its Leipzig plant, both riding on its Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture – expected to comprise the new Macan, and another unnamed model that will become Porsche's third electric vehicle.

British publication Autocar reported earlier this year Porsche could be working on a new PPE-based electric sedan for production in Leipzig – which could wear the Cajun name – that would slot below the larger Taycan as a rival for the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4.

Meanwhile, Audi's Neckarsulm plant – which currently builds the R8 supercar and E-Tron GT electric sedan – will be reworked for "the next generation of Audi's E6 model", rumoured to refer to large passenger cars, and the upcoming electric A6 E-Tron sedan.

Volkswagen's flagship Wolfsburg plant – which currently builds the Golf and Tiguan – will produce the upcoming Project Trinity flagship car from 2026, set to debut a range of technologies for the brand, including a new SSP architecture. In the meantime, production of the ID.3 electric hatchback will switch to Wolfsburg from its current Zwickau location, following "strong demand for electric vehicles".

Other news includes confirmation of a new Audi Q8 E-Tron set to be produced in Belgium in 2026 (as reported by Drive), and provisional (but not confirmed) plans for electric city cars in Martorell, Spain and electric SUVs in Pamplona, Spain, both from 2025.

The Volkswagen Group will produce batteries at its Salzgitter, Germany facility – backed by a €2 billion ($AU3.16 billion) investment to turn it into a "gigafactory" – while further production expansion is being considered in Osnabrück and Dresden.

The Group plans to pour €159 billion ($AU251.3 billion) into "future-oriented investments" – €89 billion ($AU140.7 billion) of which will go towards "e-mobility and digitalization". The Volkswagen Group predicts that battery-electric vehicles will account for 25 per cent of its sales.

"89 billion euros over the next five years in future technologies such as electromobility and digitization alone - that is a clear commitment," said said Stephan Weil, Minister President of the State of Lower Saxony, and Supervisory Board member of Volkswagen AG (the Group).

"The fact that 21 billion euros are being invested in the Lower Saxony sites in Wolfsburg, Hanover, Braunschweig, Salzgitter, Osnabrück and Emden is yet another sign that the global Volkswagen Group is committed to its Lower Saxony roots."

The Volkswagen brand has committed to switching its European line-up to all-electric power between 2033 and 2035.