VW Group turns to design to sharpen model lineup as EV sales struggle

Volkswagen Group is adding improved design to a string of changes aimed at enticing more buyers as sales of electric models in China flag and competition intensifies.

VW will strengthen the hand of its designers, who will work more closely with brand chief executive officers, the automaker said Sunday on the eve of the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich.

The goal is to better differentiate the company's stable of ten brands and boost demand for its upcoming electric-car offerings.

"Our refined design principles aim for higher design quality," VW Group CEO Oliver Blume, who also heads sports-car maker Porsche, said in a statement.

VW is busy implementing improvements aimed at turning around a slide in sales in China, where the company’s EVs have fallen flat amid strong local competitors like BYD.

The struggles follow Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen’s namesake models facing years of delays due to software hiccups.

In July, VW announced a plan to jointly develop EVs with China's Xpeng alongside Audi deepening ties with long-term China partner SAIC Motor.

VW’s EV sales in the country, its most important market, fell during the first half of the year while overall deliveries jumped 20 percent.