Till Scheer, managing director of VWGK, introduces the company's key achievements and major plans for 2022 during an online press conference, Thursday. Courtesy of Volkswagen Group Korea

By Kim Hyun-bin

Volkswagen Group's Korea operation presented its key achievements from last year and major plans for 2022, vowing to transform into an eco-friendly, software-driven tech business, the company said during an online press conference, Thursday.

The press conference began with an announcement of a name change, from Audi Volkswagen Korea to Volkswagen Group Korea (VWGK).

The name change comes in time for the company's 18th anniversary in the Korean market and amidst the company's radical efforts to transform from a classic car manufacturer into a software-driven tech company.

VWGK has four strong brands under its wings ― Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley ― and has been seeking cross-brand cooperation opportunities in electrification and diversification of its models and service portfolios.

VWGK announced plans to lay the foundation to step up its electric vehicle offensive by launching the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron this year.

"To cope with a rapidly changing business environment, VWGK is making efforts to establish a strategy to ensure a sustainable future, to diversify our business models and to transform our organization," Till Scheer, group managing director of VWGK, said during an online press conference, Thursday. "In tandem with the group's strategy, we will focus on introducing various new and attractive models, maximizing the synergy between the group and its brands so as to offer a higher level of experience for our customers and laying the foundation for sustainable growth."

In 2021, VWGK launched 81 models, including variants across four brands. It recorded sales of 40,838 vehicles and optimized its fuel mix in response to changing market demands. It increased its gasoline and EV segments by 14 percent and 3 percent, respectively, while decreasing the diesel portion by 18 percent compared to 2020.

This year, VWGK plans to introduce 22 new models, including variants across its four brands. VWGK will focus on introducing various offerings of internal combustion engines and EVs across multiple segments. VWGK will expand its battery electric vehicle (BEV) offerings with the launch of ID.4 for Volkswagen and four new EVs for Audi.

To complement its expanded EV portfolio, VWGK will strengthen its e-readiness efforts for its customers by establishing 29 service centers equipped to repair EVs, and one repair center for high-voltage batteries.