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One of the safest cars in its segment

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The Volkswagen Polo Vivo has been awarded a 4–star safety rating by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP). Global NCAP is a leading independent vehicle safety assessment organisation which promotes the universal adoption of the United Nation’s motor vehicle safety standards. The Global NCAP rating makes the new Polo Vivo one of the safest cars in its segment.

The Polo Vivo has firmly established itself as a leader in the entry-level hatch market since its local introduction in 2010. The Polo Vivo, which is locally developed and manufactured at the Kariega Plant in the Eastern Cape, has been South Africa’s best-selling passenger car since its introduction with over 500 000 units sold in the local market and Sub-Saharan Africa

“The Polo Vivo is one of the best-selling models in South Africa. It is therefore very satisfying to see the positive and constructive reaction from Volkswagen in offering safety feature improvements for the new version of the car,” said David Ward, Executive President of the Towards Zero Foundation.

The Polo Vivo, developed specifically for the African markets, underwent stringent testing in accordance with Global NCAP’s 2024 test assessment. The vehicle demonstrated exceptional performance achieving a 4-star rating in Adult Occupancy Protection (AOP) and a 3-star rating in Child Occupancy Protection (COP) categories.

Key active and passive safety features which contributed to the Polo Vivo’s 4-star rating include:

  • Driver and passenger seat belt recognition with audible warning
  • Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  • Dual front airbags for driver and passenger
  • Front side airbags (head & chest protection) – optional in Life derivatives and standard in Style as well as GT derivatives

The new Polo Vivo also met Global NCAP’s requirements for:

  • Child seat types and ISOFIX

“Volkswagen’s commitment to safety is unwavering, and this recognition underscores our dedication to providing our customers with reliable and safe vehicles. The impressive performance in Global NCAP’s rigorous testing protocol demonstrates the level of active and passive safety features available in the new Polo Vivo,“ said Niels Wichmann, Brand Head of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

20 Years of Heritage Celebrations

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KARIEGA – In March 2004, the Volkswagen Group Africa plant in Kariega opened the doors to its own heritage centre for the first time. The VW AutoPavilion, which was built following a R13-million investment, was established with the ultimate aim of giving a home to Volkswagen’s history and iconic vehicles, which could be enjoyed by employees and automotive fans alike.

In the 20 years that have followed, the AutoPavilion has established itself as a landmark for Volkswagen history, doubling its vehicles on display and boasting various exhibitions. Over R5-million has been invested in expanding the AutoPavilion’s offerings.

Among the 51 vehicles in the museum are the icons in the 70 Years of Volkswagen exhibition, as well as a variety of Volkswagen Beetles, concept cars and even vehicles from the different brands produced in Kariega since the plant opened in 1946 (then called SAMAD).

Aside from the exhibitions, the more than 670 000 visitors welcomed in the past 20 years have also had an exclusive look at the plant’s production operations. Though the plant previously offered FactoryTours, this has been part of the AutoPavilion experience since its opening, with more than 350 000 tours being conducted in the past two decades. The tours, which are offered on weekdays and are free of charge to the public, are especially popular among school groups.

“The AutoPavilion is how we share Volkswagen Group Africa’s history with our customers,” said Andile Dlamini, Head: Group Communication. “We are proud that this centre has been preserving our heritage and representing our company’s story for the past two decades. We hope to keep sharing our automotive story for many years to come.”

To book a FactoryTour or find out more about the AutoPavilion, contact 041 994 5941 or autopavilion@vwsa.co.za, or visit the AutoPavilion adjacent to the Volkswagen Group Africa plant at 103 Algoa Road in Kariega.

New Mthatha Dealership

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In an effort to offer personalised, professional, and premium service to customers the NTT Motor Group has opened a Volkswagen dealership in Mthatha.

Volkswagen has a total of 113 dealerships across South Africa.

“Our vision is to be South Africa’s most loved volume car brand and one of the leading passenger car brands in South Africa. The opening of the Mthatha dealership steers us in the right direction to achieve our goals and meet our targets. This year, Volkswagen will launch exciting new models such as the new Touareg, new Tiguan, new T-Cross and the full electric ID.4,” said Niels Wichmann, Division Head, Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

“NTT Motor Group’s dedication and commitment to investing in the Eastern Cape is illustrated by the development of a full Volkswagen dealership in Mthatha. We are not new to Mthatha as we have previously operated a Volkswagen Mastercars showroom since October 2015. We have enjoyed nine successful years in the region with the support of local customers. Our decision to develop and invest in Mthatha was taken to deliver a better service to our customers, who previously had to drive all the way to either Kokstad or to East London,” said Ansley Jacobs, Volkswagen Mthatha Dealership Principal.

The new dealership has employed 23 people, all of whom are Mthatha residents. These employees have undergone technical on-the-job training at the NTT Volkswagen East London dealership.

“We are passionate about our valued customers and professional staff who deliver a service matched by no other. This ethos is an integral part in the success of the NTT Motor Group. Each one of our more than 45 NTT dealerships in South Africa are actively involved in their respective communities. We aim to make a difference in the lives of our customers, our staff members, and the areas where we operate. We are looking forward to welcome our customers to our new premises to view this world class facility developed for the benefit of the Mthatha community,” concluded Jacobs.

1.5 Meelion (and Counting)

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During the night shift on Monday 19 February, the production team of Volkswagen Group Africa celebrated a milestone when the 1,5-millionth vehicle built for export in Kariega rolled off the line.

The milestone vehicle, a Polo GTI destined for the United Kingdom, also marked the 21 165th vehicle built for export this year alone. The Kariega plant built 101 557 Polos for export last year. The plant’s record for export units in one year was in 2019, when the team built 108 422 vehicles for export markets.

Volkswagen Group Africa has been building vehicles for export since 1992, including models such as the Volkswagen Jetta and Golf. Currently the Kariega plant is the sole manufacturer of the Volkswagen Polo, exporting this vehicle to 38 markets worldwide. The plant has been building the current Polo since January 2018 and began production of the facelifted Polo in August 2021; it also produces the popular Polo Vivo for the South African market.

“Celebrating another production milestone this early in the year sets the tone for a successful 2024,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Volkswagen Group Africa Production Director. “Volkswagen Group Africa remains a strong player in the export space and I am proud of the team behind milestones such as these. As the home of Polo we intend to continue building and delivering our high-quality vehicles to customers around the world – and hopefully achieve many more milestones along the way.”

VWA aim to be carbon neutral by 2030

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Aligning with the priorities of the Volkswagen brand worldwide, Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) has set its sights on an ambitious goal: for its Kariega plant to become a carbon neutral production plant by 2030.

VWA is already well on their way to achieving this, putting environmental sustainability first through a range of projects being implemented at its Kariega plant, as well as its sites in Sandton and Centurion.

Under the umbrella of their Zero Impact Factory programme, VWA has placed its focus on biodiversity, clean energy, efficient resource management and waste reduction, to name a few.

Notably, VWA has installed solar photovoltaic panels at its sites capable of generating 4 488 MWh of electricity annually, with R34 million invested to date. Additionally, solar panels installed at the employee car park for the Kariega plant will be added to this from September 2024, accounting for an additional investment of R55 million and a further 4 500 MWh in generation capacity.

In terms of water consumption, VWA has installed rainwater harvesting tanks capable of storing 1,2 million litres of rainwater, for use in various Production areas. This is in addition to the wastewater recycling facility VWA built on-site in 2021, which has the capacity to reduce the plant’s use of freshwater in Production by 26%.

Meanwhile, the company’s waste reduction initiatives have delivered impressive results, with a 5% reduction in landfill waste in 2023. VWA has reduced its cardboard box waste by 17 tonnes and its plastic waste by 46 tonnes in 2022 and 2023. The company also continues its efforts to promote biodiversity through projects such as spekboom planting and the removal of invasive alien plant species at its Kariega sites.

Through all these and other projects, VWA has already reduced its environmental impact by 57% compared to the baseline measured in 2010.

This includes reductions of:

  • 56% in energy usage
  • 53% in CO₂ emissions
  • 73% in use of freshwater
  • 76% in waste

The company was also recognised for its environmental sustainability efforts in 2023, garnering the international Lean & Green Management Award, as well as the SJM Flex Environmental Award at the local Exporter of the Year awards.

“With these results, VWA is synonymous with environmental sustainability,” said Ulrich Schwabe, VWA Production Director. “We remain committed to minimising our environmental impact on all possible aspects of our operations, and the results speak for themselves. I am grateful to every employee who has contributed to these achievements. As VWA we will continue building on the good work that has already been done by our teams and pave the way to our carbon neutral future.”

Pilot test of ID.Buzz Cargo fleet in South Africa

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Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has partnered with DHL Express for the pilot test of the ID.Buzz Cargo fleet in South Africa. Four ID.Buzz Cargo units will be placed at the DHL Express Service Centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban for six months. The units will be utilised for specialised last-mile delivery service part of DHL’s local pilot test of its global zero emissions logistics target.

The introduction of the ID.Buzz Cargo test fleet is an effort towards the realisation of Volkswagen Group South Africa’s electric vehicles strategy for the Volkswagen brand in South Africa. The test fleet will assist Volkswagen to build awareness of its electric vehicles in South Africa and to obtain learnings that are key for the brand’s electric vehicles strategy.

Thomas Milz, Director of Sales and Marketing at VWSA, said: “Our partnership with DHL Express on the ID.Buzz Cargo test fleet marks the beginning of Volkswagen’s long-term plan to gradually introduce its electric vehicles in the local market. At the end of the pilot test, we hope to have gathered sufficient information and insights on the readiness of the local market for the introduction of a commercial electric vehicle such as the ID.Buzz Cargo. We are very excited to partner with DHL who shares a similar commitment of zero emissions by 2050 in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement.”

“As the world’s leading logistics company, we have a responsibility to set an example in our industry and be a sustainability leader. DHL Express has committed to achieving zero emission by 2050 through a number of initiatives, one of which is ensuring that we have at least 60% electric vehicles for last-mile deliveries by 2030. We are excited to partner with VWSA to pilot their ID. Buzz in our South African operations, ”said Jed Michaletos – MD, DHL Express South Africa.

Volkswagen expresses interest in participating in Egypt’s Automotive Industry Development Programme (AIDP)

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Cairo/Kariega – Volkswagen and Government of Egypt have signed an agreement to work together to develop a feasibility study on a shared automotive painting facility within the East Port Said Industrial Zone in the East Port Said Automotive Zone in Cairo.

The agreement was signed by the Chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, Waleid Gamal Eldien, Chief Executive Officer of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, Ayman Soliman, Managing Director of the East Port-Said Development Company, Dr. Ahmed Fikry and Chairperson and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), Martina Biene in the presence of the Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr Mostafa Madbouly at the headquarters of Council of Ministers in the New Administrative Capital. The signing ceremony was also witnessed by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hala Al-Saeed.

The Government of Egypt has shown earnest commitment to the advancement of localising the automotive industry in Egypt. The commitment was duly formalised in June 2022 with the announcement of the Automotive Industry Development Programme (AIDP). The AIDP aims to foster the local value addition, increase vehicle production volume, boost and attract investment and improve emission standards in the automotive sector.

Volkswagen has expressed interest in expanding its presence in the Egyptian market by participating in the AIDP. As such, Volkswagen intends to explore the feasibility of the establishment of a multi-model automotive painting facility in the East Port Said Automotive Zone (EPAZ). The EPAZ is planned to become a world-class automotive manufacturing and logistics hub with the East Port Said Industrial Zone. It is situated within the Suez Canal Economic Zone of Egypt.

Biene commented: “Volkswagen is excited about the prospects of establishing its presence in the Egyptian market as part of its long term growth plans on the continent, especially in North Africa. The AIDP is one of the most progressive automotive programmes on the continent which Volkswagen intends to be part of. The signing of the strategic co-operation agreement with the Government of Egypt is the continuation of Volkswagen’s strategy to play a pioneering and leading role in the development of the automotive industry in Africa. ”

Volkswagen has been manufacturing vehicles in South Africa for over 72 years. It has three other vehicle assembly facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The facilities are in Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana. In addition, Volkswagen Africa has a presence in 17 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where it sells passenger and commercial vehicles through licensed importers.