The Volkswagen Group has announced plans to make 22 million electric vehicles within the next 10 years – 7m more than its original ambition.

This is partly because it has increased the number of new electric models it plans to launch in that timescale from 50 to 70.

The new models form an important part of achieving the group’s target of reducing the CO2 footprint of its vehicle fleet by 30% across the lifecycle compared to 2015.

The share of electric vehicles in the group fleet is to rise to at least 40% by 2030.

Dr Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, said: “Volkswagen is taking on responsibility with regard to the key trends of the future – particularly in connection with climate protection.

“The targets of the Paris Agreement are our yardstick. We will be systematically aligning production and other stages in the value chain to CO2 neutrality in the coming years.

“That is how we will be making our contribution towards limiting global warming.

“Volkswagen is seeking to provide individual mobility for millions of people for years to come – individual mobility that is safer, cleaner and fully connected.

“In order to shoulder the investments needed for the electric offensive we must make further improvements in efficiency and performance in all areas.”

Volkswagen has signed off a comprehensive decarbonisation programme aimed at achieving a fully CO2-neutral balance in all areas from fleet to production to administration by 2050.

The group is therefore electrifying the vehicle portfolio, with investment in this area alone amounting to more than €30 billion by 2023.

The share of electric vehicles in its fleet is to rise to at least 40% by 2030, with the first of the new-generation electric vehicles going into production this year: the Audi e-tron will be followed by the Porsche Taycan. Reservations for each of these models already total 20,000 units.

The Volkswagen ID range will also be ramped up. Other models in this first wave will be the ID. Crozz*, the Seat El-born, the Skoda Vision E2*, the ID. Buzz , and the ID. Vizzion.