For Volkswagen, as for many other manufacturers today, the financial results are far from meeting expectations. Worse still, the brand has launched a vast savings plan in recent months which should result in the closure or sale of at least three factories in Germany. It also provides for a voluntary departure plan and will not replace retirements. This will unfortunately not be enough, since Thomas Schäfer, the boss of Volkswagen, recently announced that a wave of layoffs could also follow.
Electric to replace old diesel tractors
In short, you will have understood, the news is rather gloomy, and we must turn to Africa in order to find a little rejoicing. Indeed, as part of the GenFarm project carried out with its Rwandan division, Volkswagen wishes to rent electric tractors equipped with interchangeable batteries. The project seems rather interesting, since its objective is to offer economical electric agricultural machinery to local farmers, who are hit hard by the high costs of fuel in Africa. Few automobile manufacturers turn to the agricultural world, but let us remember that some, rather prestigious in fact, draw their genesis in part from this sector, such as Lamborghini for example or even Porsche.
A first step for the diversification of Volkswagen in Africa
These tractors are equipped with an interchangeable 32 kWh battery pack, as much as in the latest e-Ups. Power is limited to 27 hp. The tractor’s accumulators are integrated into its structure to be easily removed in order to minimize the downtime of the agricultural machine during its missions. Charging takes place in Volkswagen buildings equipped with solar panels and electricity storage devices. The buildings are located near Gashora, Rwanda, a town about 60 kilometers from the capital Kigali. An e-Hub is being built and should be operational in the first half of 2025.
A project initiated by former boss Herbert Diess
Later, Volkswagen also plans to use this interchangeable battery system on electric scooters, as other manufacturers are already doing. This is all part of the GenFarm project, started in 2021 when Herbert Diess, then CEO of the Volkswagen Group, took the wheel of a prototype electric tractor. Failing to have successfully led the group towards a successful and smooth electric transition with the ID.3 and the rest of the ID range, for which the group seems to be paying a high price today, Herbert’s project Diess seems to be on the right track. The government even provided land to the builder so that he could carry out his activities.
