WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - The VW Group wants to produce its future Trinity model in Zwickau rather than Wolfsburg, according to a media report. The originally planned construction of a second plant next to the main plant in Wolfsburg has finally been canceled, reports the "Handelsblatt" (Friday) with reference to group circles. Instead, the model is now to be built at the e-car plant in Saxony. VW would not comment on the matter when asked.

According to the report, the change to the former flagship project of ex-VW CEO Herbert Diess will be discussed by the supervisory board on Friday. Group CEO Oliver Blume, who replaced Diess a year ago, had already postponed the Trinity launch planned for 2026 by at least another year and a half in order to have more time to develop the software. Since then, it has been examined whether the new factory construction in Wolfsburg was still worthwhile in view of the new schedule.

According to the report, the relocation of the model to Zwickau is part of a larger pact to fill the plant in the coming years. According to a report in the Hannoversche Allgemeine newspaper (Friday), the Hanover and Osnabrück sites are also to be involved. According to the report, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Hanover will lose the order for another of Diess' prestige projects: the planned luxury-class electric models of the group's Audi and Bentley brands will not be built in Hanover after all, the newspaper writes. Originally, they were to start there in 2026.

Both models were part of Audi's earlier "Artemis" project. Here, too, the start had been postponed before; Porsche had dropped out of the project altogether in 2021. VW Commercial Vehicles would not comment on the report when asked.

In group circles, it was said on Friday that both Wolfsburg and Hanover are to receive replacements for the withdrawn prestige models. Details were initially disclosed./fjo/DP/tih