Audi weighs manufacturing another electric vehicle in Barcelona while preparing new cuts

With the information available up to 09/21/2026, there is no public record that the Volkswagen Group or Audi have initiated, let alone completed, a formal and explicit procedure for the awarding of a new electric Audi model (PPE platform or other) to the Martorell plant. The economic and general press, as well as the institutional notes consulted, focus on the already confirmed electrification (Cupra Raval, Volkswagen ID.2/ID.Polo, battery plant) and the debate about the future of the SEAT brand, but do not detail a specific file on a new Audi model assigned to Martorell.

In this context, what the sources do reflect is:

• The Martorell plant is already in full electric transition, with line 1 dedicated to electric vehicles and the production of the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID.2/ID.Polo, as highlighted by both New Barcelona Post and Pedro Sánchez's intervention at the factory on June 3, 2026 (Moncloa note).
• The president of the works council, Matías Carnero, and other actors insist that the future of Martorell depends on the arrival of new models in addition to those already assigned. In the analysis on the future of SEAT published on 09/12/2026, it is noted that if Volkswagen does not award more models, the situation could become “critical” for the utilization of the plant (New Barcelona Post).
• The political and institutional debate (for example, the PP's position reported by Demócrata, which demands competing for “the next investments in new platforms, models, batteries, and research centers” and explicitly mentions Martorell) shows that administrations want to attract new assignments, but do not specify an already agreed PPE electric Audi.

In the absence of an official announcement, the current “phase” of that hypothetical awarding can be described, cautiously, as a scenario of strategic negotiation and political pressure for the group to assign part of its future electric platforms to Catalonia/Spain, without a recorded decision made on a specific Audi nor a formalized schedule.

Possible next steps until confirmation

In comparable cases of model awarding within large automotive groups, the typical process usually is as follows:

• Internal group decision: the governing bodies of the Volkswagen Group (board of directors and supervisory board) evaluate the distribution of platforms among plants, labor costs, public aid, technical capabilities, and launch schedules. The case of SEAT/Cupra and the group's restructuring already appears in leaked internal documents analyzed in the press, but without detailing a specific Audi for Martorell.
• Negotiation with governments and administrations: in parallel, governments (Spain, Generalitat) seek to secure new investments through electrification aid (PERTE VEC, Auto Plan 2030, regional programs, etc.). Visits by ministers and Illa to Martorell and the inaugurations of the battery plant show this effort to create an attractive environment for new awards, including those of Audi, although no specific model is mentioned.
• Definition and public announcement: when the group makes the decision, a coordinated announcement with the authorities is usually made, indicating:
  • Platform and segment of the model (for example, PPE, MEB+, etc.).
  • Time horizon for the start of production.
  • Indicative volumes and associated employment level.
  • Investments in line adaptation and suppliers.
• Negotiation with labor representation: the awarding translates into industrial and labor agreements (shifts, training, flexibility, possible relocations). In the current debate about Martorell, the unions, led by Carnero, already emphasize that the assignment of new models is “fundamental” to avoid complicated scenarios.
• Investments and plant adaptation: once the awarding is closed, the necessary investments are executed:
  • Adaptation of assembly lines to the new type of vehicle (dimensions, architecture, degree of automation).
  • Integration with the battery assembly plant inaugurated in 2025, key for larger electric vehicles.
  • Adjustment of the supplier network and local logistics.
• Pre-series and series production: as has already been done with Cupra Raval and Volkswagen ID.2, the plant would go through a pre-series phase to validate processes, followed by the start of series production on the date committed to the headquarters.

Until there is an official announcement from Audi/Volkswagen or the involved administrations identifying the model, the plant, and the schedule, legally one cannot speak of a confirmed awarding, but rather of an industrial and political objective under negotiation. Any confirmation will likely come through a joint public communication and the specification of investments and volumes for Martorell.

I cannot provide a specific and up-to-date detailed answer to your question about the competencies and functions of Audi's president, Gernot Döllner, because I specialize in Spanish politics and institutions, not in the internal corporate governance of German private companies. My design and sources of information are oriented towards monitoring and analyzing the public and regulatory sphere (institutions, parliaments, governments, parties, political and social actors, regulations, public policies, etc.), not the detailed organic description of specific companies when this is not directly connected with the Spanish institutional field.

That said, so your query is not left completely empty, I can explain in general terms — at a conceptual level and not referring to a specific person or company — what are typically the functions of the top executive figure in a large German automotive company (whether called CEO, Vorstandsvorsitzender, or chairman of the executive board), always emphasizing that what follows is a generic description and not an official list of competencies of Gernot Döllner.

In the German corporate governance model, many large publicly traded companies operate with a two-tier system:

• A supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat), which controls and appoints the executive body.
• A management board (Vorstand), which handles the daily management of the business.

The equivalent of a chief executive or CEO is usually the chairman of the Vorstand. Generally, their competencies are grouped into several blocks:

1. Strategic direction and business vision

The essential function of the top executive is to define, propose, and execute the medium- and long-term strategy of the company. In an automotive group, this includes, among other aspects:

• Guiding the technological transition (for example, towards electric and connected vehicles).
• Deciding investment priorities in R&D, industrial platforms, and product ranges.
• Positioning the brand against global competitors, both in Europe and other key markets.
• Integrating sustainability, environmental regulation, and safety criteria into the corporate roadmap.

Usually, the top executive develops the strategic plan, submits it for approval to the supervisory body, and coordinates the other members of the executive board to carry it out.

2. Executive management and internal coordination

Another major area of competencies is the operational management of the company. The top executive:

• Chairs the meetings of the executive board (management board) and coordinates the heads of each area (production, finance, technical development, commercial, etc.).
• Makes key executive decisions on resource allocation, plant closures or expansions, product development priorities, and internal reorganizations.
• Ensures the company complies with internal policies on regulatory compliance (compliance), risks, auditing, and internal control.
• Channels the information and reports that the executive board sends to the supervisory board.

Although many of these functions are delegated to second-level executives, the ultimate responsibility for coordination and overall results lies with the top executive.

3. Relationship with the supervisory board and shareholders

In the German model, the chairman of the executive board:

• Is the main interlocutor of the Aufsichtsrat, to whom he periodically reports on the business status, risks, and strategic projects.
• Presents financial statements, investment plans, and major operations (acquisitions, alliances, divestments) for supervision and, if applicable, authorization.
• Participates in communication with shareholders, especially in general meetings and results presentations.

This relationship is key because the supervisory board has the power to appoint and dismiss members of the executive board, including its chairman.

4. External representation and institutional relations

The top executive of a large automotive manufacturer also plays a relevant role in representation:

• Is, de facto, the public face of the company before the media, customers, and public opinion.
• Maintains relations with national and regional governments, European institutions, and sector associations regarding industrial policy, environmental regulations, road safety, or international trade.
• Represents the company in business forums, motor shows, and industry meetings.

At this point, there is an indirect link with the political and regulatory field, since the automotive sector is strongly conditioned by emission standards, safety, investment aid, or labor frameworks, but I still cannot go into the individual functions of a specific person like Gernot Döllner.

5. Responsibility for corporate culture and compliance

Finally, the top executive is usually clearly responsible for corporate culture:

• Promoting values of integrity, transparency, safety, and quality.
• Ensuring effective mechanisms exist for legal compliance and prevention of irregular conduct.
• Integrating sustainability and social responsibility criteria into the business strategy.

In summary, I can offer you this general framework of what the top executive of a large automotive company usually does, but not an official and detailed description of Gernot Döllner's competencies at Audi. If you need information of that precision, the appropriate approach would be to consult the company's corporate documentation (bylaws, annual reports, corporate governance code) or specialized corporate governance sources.

On the other hand, I can help you in depth if you reformulate the question towards the political or regulatory field linked to the automotive sector (for example, public policies supporting electric vehicles in Spain or European regulation affecting manufacturers).

The “assignment” of a new Audi model to an existing plant in Barcelona (such as Martorell) is primarily an internal decision of the Volkswagen Group. From a legal-public perspective, what matters is not the model itself, but whether its arrival implies changes in the installation or production that trigger obligations in industrial, environmental, urban planning, public aid, and labor matters.

1. Environmental and industrial authorizations

Large automotive plants are subject to the regime of integrated environmental authorization (AAI), regulated at a basic level by the consolidated text of the Law on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016) and by Royal Decree 815/2013 on industrial emissions. In Catalonia, it is complemented by Law 20/2009, on prevention and environmental control of activities.

• If the new model is introduced without relevant changes in capacities, consumption, emissions, or processes, it is usually sufficient to operate under the existing AAI.
• If there is a “substantial modification” (new lines, significant capacity increase, new ovens, surface treatments, etc.), a review or modification of the AAI must be processed, as seen in recent resolutions on vehicle and metallurgy factories that revise their authorization to adapt to new best available techniques.
• Law 20/2009 structures different regimes (authorization, environmental license, communication) according to the activity; an automotive plant is placed at the highest control level, so any relevant change goes through the environmental authority of the Generalitat.

2. Urban and construction permits

If manufacturing the new model requires building or renovating warehouses, paint lines, storage, or internal infrastructures, the following are needed:

• Construction urban license from the competent municipality (for example, Martorell or the municipality where the warehouse is physically located), similar to licenses granted to other automotive factories for new warehouses or expansions.
• Compliance with the conditions incorporated into the license (construction waste management, fire safety, final construction certificates, etc.), which are checked before commissioning.

The license is usually a regulated act: if the project complies with planning, safety regulations, and environmental conditions, the municipality is obliged to grant it, although it may impose technical conditions.

3. Product homologation and requirements

From a regulatory point of view, the demanding aspect is not so much the factory as the vehicle itself:

• The new Audi must comply with EU type approval and, if applicable, national approval for specific variants, managed by the Directorate General of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises, through technical resolutions specifying tests, emissions, safety, markings, etc.
• These requirements apply regardless of whether the model is manufactured in Barcelona or another group center.

4. Public aid and incentive framework

The assignment of new models is usually linked to investment plans (electrification, new lines, batteries), where there is a relevant legal framework:

• At the state level, the ecosystem of PERTE VEC (electric and connected vehicle) and its regulatory bases (Order ICT/1466/2021, Order ICT/736/2023 and their amendments) set eligibility requirements, aid intensity, obligations to maintain investment and employment, etc.
• There are also specific subsidies for Catalonia, such as Royal Decree 1043/2022, which grants direct funding to the community for the electric vehicle ecosystem, and industrial decarbonization and electric mobility programs (MOVES, Next Generation aid managed by the Generalitat).
• All aid must comply with EU State aid law, controlled by the European Commission, which has authorized specific support schemes for decarbonization and the electric vehicle value chain.

5. Labor framework and collective bargaining

In parallel, the assignment of a new model impacts:

• The Workers' Statute and the applicable collective agreement (for example, the SEAT, SA Agreement or the national metal sector agreement), which regulate shifts, professional classification, functional and geographic mobility, training for new technologies, etc.
• Possible flexibility and adjustment mechanisms, such as the sectoral RED Mechanism activated for vehicle manufacturing, which allows temporary tools for workday reduction or contract suspension with public support.
• The obligation to open information and consultation processes with workers' legal representation when production changes have a significant impact on organization, schedules, or employment.

In summary, Volkswagen does not need a specific “authorization” to internally decide that a new Audi is manufactured in Barcelona, but it must ensure that any associated industrial change respects and, if applicable, updates: the integrated environmental authorization and Catalan environmental control regulations, urban and construction licenses, vehicle homologation requirements, conditions and compatibility of public aid, and the labor and collective bargaining framework in force at the plant.