Tech

Volkswagen: the new boss prefers synthetic gasoline to electric

After 4 years at the head of the German manufacturer Volkswagen, Herbert Diess is giving up his apron. It is the current CEO of Porsche, who will have the difficult task of succeeding him. Beyond the change of leader, it is above all Volkswagen’s strategy that could completely change. If Herbert Diess was a fervent defender of the electric, Olivier Blume has never hidden his attraction for synthetic gasoline.

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Expected for weeks, the departure of Herbert Diess current Volkswagen Group CEO is now official. CEO since 2018, he decided to give up his chair to another big name in the automobile industry, namely Olivier Blume. The latter is none other than the Current CEO of Porsche. For the time being, it is not known whether he will combine the two positions or whether he will resign from Porshe. The only certainty we currently have is that this change of direction will not be without consequences.

To come back to the career of Herbert Diess, he had the merit of getting the group out of Dieselgate. It was also during his presidency that the group saw its new 100% electric range made up of 3 models and record sales. Not everything was rosy for him, as he had to face certain obstacles. The most striking are the delays in the launches. Moreover, its relations with the unions and the shareholders have not always been very cordial. Olivier Blume will therefore have his work cut out for him and logically, he will be expected at the turn to see if he is a continuation of his predecessor or a break.

Olivier Blume is more fascinated by renewable fuel than electric

Unlike Herbert Diess, who has always displayed a certain frankness about his position on electrics, Olivier Blume remains vague. Throughout his tenure at Porsche, it supported synthetic gasoline. While his counterpart at Volkswagen was a fervent defender of the model developed by Tesla, which he did not hesitate to compete with the ID Aero.

If Porsche is currently investing so much in renewable fuel, it is also partly thanks to Olivier Blume. Besides, Porsche has invested nearly $75 billion on this fuel composed of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This does not mean that the new CEO of Volkswagen is against the transition to electric. On the contrary, with his involvement in the release of the Taycan and soon the Cayennes and Macan, Olivier Blume shows that he can support 100% electric projects. It is therefore difficult to anticipate the strategy that the new management will adopt. But at least we know that the new boss has a serious alternative to electric.

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