Shanghai (ZXZC)- The first body-in-white (BIW) vehicle rolled off the production line at Volkswagen Group's MEB factory in Hefei city, the capital of Anhui province, marking major progress in the trial production of the first new energy vehicle (NEV) model manufactured by the factory, according to Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Limited (“Volkswagen Anhui”).

The Hefei-based plant features a designed production capacity of 350,000 vehicles annually when facilities become fully operational, expecting to see the first mass-produced vehicle roll off the assembly line this year and start volume production in the second half of 2023.

Photo credit: Volkswagen Group

Volkwagen Anhui broke ground on the MEB plant in April 2021. In February this year, the company announced it had completed contruction of the plant's car body workshop that covers an area of 140,000 square meters. The company said then the equipment installation at the body workshop would begin in March.

At the Anhui MEB factory's body workshop, Volkswagen Group for the first time applied its “In-line measurement 2025” technology, which can realize the online measurement of all body-in-whites at the production line, so as to enhance the overall production efficiency and precision.

Previously known as JAC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd., Volkwagen Anhui was established by Volkswagen Group and JAC Group in 2017, and is the German auto giant's first dedicated NEV joint venture in China. In December 2020, it was renamed to Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Limited, after Volkswagen Group increased its stake to 75%.