By Max Bernhard 
 

Volkswagen AG (VOW.XE) said Wednesday that it plans to convert its plants at Emden and Hannover, both in Germany, over to the production of electric vehicles by 2022, as part of the auto maker's electrification strategy.

"Emden and Hannover are to be further model plants in Germany. Together with Zwickau, they will form the largest network for the production of electric vehicles in Europe," said Gunnar Kilian, who is responsible for human resources on Volkswagen's board.

Volkswagen said it would safe-guard jobs at the two plants until 2028. However, it won't be possible to offer full-time contracts to temporary employees in Emden, it added.

"It was important for Volkswagen to offer all temporary employees long-term employment prospects within the group. This is why we can offer you permanent employment contracts at the Porsche plants in Zuffenhausen, Ludwigsburg and Sachsenheim and, to some extent, also at the Volkswagen plant in Kassel," Mr. Kilian told employees at a works meeting in Emden on Wednesday.

The manufacturer's site in Emden will start producing electric vehicles from 2022 onwards, it said. "In Hannover, models of the electrically powered I.D. Buzz family will probably be produced from 2022 together with conventionally powered vehicles," Volkswagen added.

Production of models that are currently manufactured in Emden and Hannover will be moved step by step to other plants and Volkswagen's supervisory board will decide on the details of plant allocation at a meeting on Friday.

Write to Max Bernhard at max.bernhard@dowjones.com; @mxbernhard

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 14, 2018 09:14 ET (14:14 GMT)

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