Herbert Diess’s master plan for beating Tesla hinged on replacing factory workers with 10,000 software workers who would transform Volkswagen Group into a tech player.
Instead, after two years of VW electric car customers angrily stabbing at screens, Diess has been forced out. Porsche boss Oliver Blume, who started as VW Group CEO on Sept. 1, is all car guy rather than software guru and got the job by being a team player and pragmatist.
VW will accelerate its transition toward electric vehicles where possible, Blume said at an internal conference on Thursday, the first day of his tenure.
Blume told top managers he had developed a ten-point plan focusing on topics including financial robustness, sustainability, the capital market, and development in China and North America.
"I am a fan of e-mobility and I stand by this path ... we will keep the current pace and, where possible, increase it," Blume said, according to a copy of his speech, highlights of which were quoted on Twitter along with a picture of Blume presenting his 10-point plan (see below).