According to foreign media Electrive, Thomas Ulbrich, head of Volkswagen’s electric vehicle department, will leave the company next year, although the specific time has not been determined.
Although a company spokesperson said Ulbrich’s departure was due to personal reasons, Volkswagen’s personnel changes, especially given the impact on the development of the ID.3, have sparked heated discussions in German media. According to German media Handelsblatt, Ulbrich’s departure was due to differences in ideas with CEO Herbert Diess.
Ulbrich joined Volkswagen Group in 1992. He served as head of the electric vehicle department at the establishment of the department in 2018, and was responsible for the development of the MEB platform. Ulbrich’s performance at Volkswagen has received mixed reviews internally, with some saying he was responsible for delays and problems with the ID.3, while others have called him the “savior” of the ID.3.
Recently, there have been frequent personnel changes at Volkswagen. On November 28th, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess wrote an article on his personal LinkedIn page, reviewing the reforms he has led at Volkswagen over the past five years and calling for a faster pace of transformation. In June of this year, Diess submitted an application for contract extension until 2025 to Volkswagen’s supervisory board, but has yet to receive approval from the union.
🔗Source: Electrive, Handelsblatt
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.