“Győr is the perfect location for the production of even more compact and efficient PPE electric motors,” said Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “With a highly skilled team, the company has already produced more than 400,000 electric drives since 2018, gaining a wealth of invaluable experience.” In addition to the PPE drives that power the Audi Q6 e-tron model series, Audi Hungaria also produces electric drives for the Audi Q8 e-tron models and is currently setting up a new production area for the Volkswagen Group’s cars built on the MEBeco platform (modular electric drive concept).
“The onset of production of the PPE motors in Győr is an important milestone in the ramp-up of the Audi Q6 e‑tron,” said Gerd Walker, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG responsible for Production and Logistics and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Audi Hungaria. “I know from first-hand experience how committed and passionate the team in Győr is, working consistently to transition the world’s largest powertrain plant to e-mobility. Audi Hungaria is an indispensable part of Audi’s global production network thanks to its vast experience in powertrain production and its CO2‑neutral balance sheet,” added Gerd Walker, who served as Member of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria responsible for Vehicle Production from 2012 to 2016.
“In the past 30 years, Audi Hungaria has grown from a small powertrain manufacturing company to a major player in the automotive industry. Our company is a key pillar of the global production network of the Volkswagen Group and the Progressive Brand Group, and a driving force of the Hungarian economy. In addition to our premium quality products, we have extensive development activities in Győr and provide our partners with high value-added services, which are based on the competences of our colleagues. With the start of production of the new generation of electric motors, we continue to gear our company up for the era of electromobility,” noted Alfons Dintner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria.
Audi Hungaria not only produces, but also develops electric drives: after the start of series production, the Technical Development hub will continue to support the manufacturing activities with series production support. The design of the new production lines for the PPE drives is the result of a unique collaboration between production engineering specialists from Győr and Ingolstadt and the experts of the Győr-based Tool Factory. One of the unique features of the design of the new production area is that it was the first time that Audi Hungaria had used virtual reality (VR) glasses to design production lines.
The production of PPE drives involves the manufacture of stator and transmission components and the assembly of drives. The company installed three new production lines for the new generation of electric motors: stator production consists of 28 work steps, gearbox component production of 15 work steps, and 190 steps are required for drive assembly. PPE drives are also produced in Győr for Audi and Porsche.
“With the PPE drives, we have increased our production depth and created new jobs in areas such as gear technology, new heat treatment processes and laser technology. The production technology has also been enhanced with a number of innovative solutions: we are the first in the Group to apply a new impregnation process and the first in Győr to build transmission components as an integrated part of electric drives. Thanks to my team’s many years of experience in the production of internal combustion engines and our conscious employee training concept, we are also able to supply our customers with PPE engines of premium quality,” said Robert Buttenhauser, Member of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria responsible for Powertrain Production.
Audi Hungaria has been carbon neutral in its balance sheet since 2020. The company is Hungary’s largest industrial geothermal energy user and is home to Europe’s largest rooftop solar farm. Audi is working with DB Cargo to deliver CO2‑neutral electric drives for the PPE platform to Ingolstadt.
In the year of the launch of the PPE drives, Audi Hungaria looks back on a 30-year success story. Today, the company has grown into the world’s largest powertrain plant and was the first to produce premium cars in Hungary. Its Technical Development hub performs development activities for Audi and the Volkswagen Group. In addition to manufacturing, the company provides the Group with a wide range of services, which are based on the competences of its colleagues. With the future production of CUPRA’s Terramar model, the company will further increase the exploitation of synergies at Group level.
The company’s Tool Factory produces body parts, such as bonnets, tailgates, doors, fenders, roof and side panels, mainly in aluminum, for the Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley brands.
Since its foundation, Audi Hungaria has invested more than EUR 12 billion in Győr, making the company one of the largest investors in the Hungarian industry. As one of the largest employers in the country, Audi Hungaria currently employs nearly 12,000 colleagues. Since its foundation, the company has been a committed supporter of the sports and cultural life of the region, backing social initiatives and contributing to the education and training of the next generation as well as to research and development activities in Hungary.
