With the commencement of electric motor production for PPE (Premium Platform Electric), a new era of Audi drivetrain systems has begun in Győr, Hungary. The newly developed electric motors will first be applied to the Q6 e-tron series.
The Audi Q6 e-tron, the first pure electric model based on the PPE platform, will start production at the Ingolstadt headquarters at the end of this year. As part of the preparation process, Audi has established its own battery assembly facility in Ingolstadt. Audi Hungary produces stators and transmission components at the newly installed 12,000 square meter facility in Győr, where the axes for the PPE will also be produced. Product testing will also take place in Győr.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner stated, “The Győr location is optimized for highly compact and efficient PPE electric motor production.” He added, “The highly skilled team at the site has been producing over 400,000 electric drivetrain systems since 2018, which is a very valuable experience.” In addition to the PPE electric motors that power the Audi Q6 e-tron series, the facility also produces drive components for the Audi Q8 e-tron. Furthermore, additional production facilities are being built for the electric motor production of MEBeco-based vehicles, part of the Volkswagen Group’s modular electric vehicle platform.
To facilitate electric motor production for PPE, Audi has installed three new production lines. The stator line consists of 28 stages, and the transmission components line involves 15 stages of work, while assembling one axle requires 190 stages. Approximately 700 employees at the Győr site participate in series production, working in three shifts to produce 2,000 PPE electric motors daily, which are supplied not only to Audi but also to Porsche. The scope of vertical production has been further expanded compared to existing electric motor assembly facilities.
Gerhard Walker, a member of the board responsible for production and logistics, remarked, “The start of production at the Győr site is a very important milestone in expanding Audi Q6 e-tron production.” He also stated, “From my personal experience, I know how passionately the Audi Hungary team works and how systematically they are developing the electrification of the world’s largest engine plant. The Győr site possesses significant expertise in drive systems and carbon neutrality, making it a key part of Audi’s global production network.” Walker served as the head of the vehicle production department at Audi Hungary from 2012 to 2016.
Through the transition to electric mobility, Audi’s global production network is undergoing comprehensive changes, with a clear vision to produce vehicles through the 360 Factory in the future. As part of this holistic and sustainable approach, Audi is advancing the modernization and digitalization of existing plants. Since 2020, the Győr site, the largest industrial consumer of geothermal energy in Hungary, has been implementing carbon-neutral production and has one of the largest rooftop solar power systems in Europe. Audi is collaborating with logistics company DB Cargo to transport PPE electric motors from Győr to Ingolstadt in a carbon-neutral manner.
This year, as production begins for PPE, Audi Hungary celebrates a successful 30th anniversary. It has grown into the world’s largest powertrain factory and has established itself as Hungary’s first premium automobile manufacturer. With the production of CUPRA’s Terramar, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, in Győr, Audi Hungary will create even more synergy within the global production network. The Győr site now provides technology for product development within both Audi and the Volkswagen Group, with employees offering extensive know-how that can be utilized for various services across different group brands.
Audi Hungary, which exclusively produces body parts for the Volkswagen Group’s Progressive Brand Group, which includes Audi, Lamborghini, and Bentley, enlarged its toolmaking facilities last year to expand series production. Complex body parts primarily made of aluminum, such as rear and front hatches, doors, fenders, roofs, and side panel frames, are manufactured at the Győr site.
Since its inception, Audi Hungary has invested around 12 billion euros, making it the most significant investor in the Hungarian industry. Currently, approximately 12,000 employees are employed at Audi Hungary.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr