ROME – Sixty-five years of history for the legendary Volkswagen T2, better known as Bulli. The vehicle which in over six decades has embodied the most diverse garments and fashions, has been produced at the Volkswagen plant in Hannover-Stöcken since 8 March 1956. Since then, more than 9 million Bulli have been produced in the factory.
ROME – With the launch of the new Multivan this year and with the ID.Buzz (in 2022), the same plant in Hanover will be the one that for the first time will produce vehicles with conventional transmission systems, plug-in hybrids and completely electrical. “We can look back with pride – commented Carsten Intra of VWCV – at the goals we have achieved here in Hanover. The history of the plant is as unique as Bulli itself and as the people who built millions of these vehicles right here. At the same time. time we are looking to the future on this site: with the launch of the new Multivan this year and with the ID.BUZZ from 2022, we are completing our modern and attractive range of vans, MPVs and leisure vehicles for a broad clientele “.
In addition, from 2024, premium electric vehicles (D-SUVs) will be produced in Hanover for other brands in the group. “The plant – continued Carsten Intra – is exemplary for the transformation of the entire brand. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and the Group recently highlighted this with the investment of 680 million euros for the production of the D-Suv”. In the years when Heinz Rühmann was popular in the cinema and Elvis Presley sang ‘Love me tender’, the Volkswagen Beetle is the best-selling car and the Bulli is also highly sought after. The production capacity of the main plant in Wolfsburg, which has been building Bulli since 1950, is in no way sufficient to satisfy demand.
At the time, more than 235 cities and municipalities were applying to become the new site for the Transporter project. Heinrich Nordhoff, managing director of Volkswagenwerk Gmbh and later chairman of the board of Volkswagenwerk AG, obtains the support of the supervisory board for his preferred location in Hanover. The main advantages are the presence of the Mittelland canal in the immediate vicinity and the existence of a marshalling yard.
By the end of March 1955, a thousand workers were already employed on the construction site. On 8 March 1956, serial production of this future symbol of the ‘years of economic miracles’ begins in Hanover-Stöcken. In 1967, when production of the first generation of Transporters ended, 1.8 million Bulli rolled off the line in Germany. To date, more than 10 million vehicles have been produced at the VWCV plant in Hannover-Stöcken.
Currently in production at the plant is the T6.1 and production of the new Multivan (with conventional transmission system and as a plug-in hybrid) will begin before the end of the year. Next year, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ first fully electric vehicle will be produced in Hanover: the ID. Buzz.
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