At the annual AUDI AG press conference, CEO Markus Duesmann and CFO Jürgen Rittersberger addressed current issues. Alongside the key financial figures for the year 2022, the two top executives focused on strategic decisions, the promotion of holistic sustainability and the upcoming new era for models. The key statements at a glance:
About the year 2022 and the annual financial data...
Markus Duesmann: "Even here in Germany, we are feeling the effects of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine directly - mainly due to energy shortages, supply difficulties and the difficult geopolitical situation. Given this unstable environment, we can be particularly proud of what we achieved last year. This result required a lot of hard work and close cooperation.
Jürgen Rittersberger: "We have responded to the challenges of 2022 consistently, taking active countermeasures. These factors and the dedication of our entire team made it possible to announce strong financial performance."
Jürgen Rittersberger: "Our operating profit reached a record figure of EUR 7.6 billion. Our operating return on sales was strong at 12.2%. All this shows that we successfully faced the turbulent year 2022 and consistently capitalised on the opportunities that presented themselves. The same applies to our strong net cash flow, which reached the second highest level in our company's history."
Jürgen Rittersberger: "2022 was a striking demonstration of how strong and profitable our combined Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Ducati brands really are."
About the product portfolio and upcoming models...
Markus Duesmann: "Sales of pure electric models increased by 44% year-on-year. The high demand for the Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi e-tron GT1 and Audi e-tron confirms that we are on the right path to electrification."
Markus Duesmann: "We are at the beginning of the biggest product evolution in our history. By 2025, we will have launched around 20 new models, of which more than 10 will be all-electric. We have set our course for 100% electrification. By 2027, we aim to offer a pure electric vehicle in every key category. We recently decided to launch an additional electric entry-level model under the Audi Q4 e-tron."
Markus Duesmann: "The upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron model series is the first to be based on the new Premium Platform Electric. Thus, electrification comes for the first time from the Ingolstadt“.
For holistic sustainability...
Markus Duesmann: "To ensure that we are in a sustainable position in such a changing environment, we are also adapting our organisational structure. By integrating key issues such as ESG [Environmental, Social and Governance] criteria, digitalisation and new business models now falling under the control of the CEO, we are giving them even more weight."
Markus Duesmann: "We are fully aware of our responsibility in terms of resource management. That is why the circular economy plays an important role for us. In the future, we will recycle secondary materials from vehicles at the end of their life cycle and recycle them back into the production of our cars. As part of our MaterialLoop pilot project, we are working with suppliers, recycling companies and academic partners to upgrade our expertise in this area."
Jürgen Rittersberger: "At Audi, ESG criteria go beyond the product. We are convinced that a sustainable business model includes not only environmental concern but also social responsibility. We measure our performance by an independent evaluation organization based on strict criteria."
On the outlook for 2023...
Jürgen Rittersberger: "We have again set ambitious annual targets for 2023, even if overall conditions remain difficult."
Markus Duesmann: "Demand for electrification remains high. In January and February 2023, our global pure electric vehicle sales increased by nearly 40% compared to the same months in 2022. February also marked the launch of the Q8 e-tron in most European countries. We have around 20,000 pre-orders, confirming that demand for sustainable electrification is booming."
