The shift in focus to electric vehicles comes as authorities around the world are looking to increase the number of low- and zero-emission vehicles.
Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess was asked if he would rule out any future deal with Elon Musk’s Tesla as VW pushes ahead with plans for electric vehicles (EVs).
“No, we haven’t considered (that), we are going our own way,” he replied. “We want to get close and then overtake.”
“We think that we can—we need our own software stack, our own technology,” he added. “And also, I think Tesla, or Elon, is very much thinking … (about) his way forward. So no, there are no talks between Elon Musk and myself regarding joining forces.”
The shift in focus to electric vehicles comes as authorities around the world look to increase the number of low- and zero-emission vehicles in a bid to tackle air pollution.
Earlier this week, VW announced plans to establish six “gigafactories” in Europe by the end of the decade and ramp up EV charging infrastructure in Europe, North America, and China.
