Volkswagen is planning to stop selling combustion engine vehicles in Europe by 2035, according to a company board member. 

In an interview with a German newspaper, Meunchner Merkur, cited by a report by The Verge, sales board member Klaus Zellmer said that the company is looking to stop its selling between 2033 and 2035.

Other parts of the world are set to follow. Same plans are being made for the US and China, but Zellner says it will be "somewhat later" as far as when it will happen. For South America and Africa, he says that it will "take a good deal longer." The report makes no mention of any similar plans for the Asian market. 

Volkswagen Goes Carbon Neutral

Volkswagen looks like it's fully set on being a more environment-friendly automotive business.  In the same interview, Zellman has also said that the company is looking to have a fully carbon-neutral fleet by 2050. 

Volkswagen has already started selling electric cars to the market, and with these new developments, the company seems ready to go full blast. Last year, Volkswagen CEO Hebert Deiss met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, sparking speculation that the two brands will collaborate on a project. 

Mexico Unit to Resume Production After Chip Shortage

A global semiconductor chip shortage may have interrupted numerous tech production plans worldwide, but it seems like Volkswagen is ready to recover from the supply crunch. 

According to Reuters, Volkswagen's Mexico unit is gearing up for the resumption of its production next week. Per the report, the German automobile brand sees that the supply for the semiconductor chip will get better in the remaining months of the year. It does not, however, rule out the possibility that plans will have to change once more.

The resumption of production will involve Volkswagen's Jetta, Taos, and Tiguan models.

Also Read: Volkswagen to Design Chips for Self-Driving Cars, Borrowing Tactic from Apple and Tesla Amidst 2021 Chip Shortage

Global Chip Shortage: When Will It End?

The same Reuters report attributes the global semiconductor chip shortage to various reasons, including the rise in demand for electronic devices. 

Multiple tech industries have been hit by the global chip shortage, including the automobile industry. Brands such as General Motors (GM), Ford, and Toyota have cut their production. 

There seems to be no clear end in sight as well for the chip supply crunch. Electronics company Acer predicts that the semiconductor chip shortage will last until next year. Some have even claimed that the short supply will last until 2023.

Fingers have already been pointed to blame as the global tech industry deals with the effects of the shortage. Back in April, Huawei blamed the US due to the sanctions the country imposed on the company. The company claimed the sanctions had caused panic buying of semiconductor chips among companies.  

Related Article: Huawei: US to Blame for Global Chip Shortage That Could Trigger Economic Crisis

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isabella James