DNFGY Dongfeng Motor Group Company Ltd (PK)

SHANGHAI—Volkswagen AG is exploring a joint venture to make electric cars in China with a state-run company, part of its aggressive push into electric-vehicle production as the auto maker works to resolve its emissions cheating scandal.

The German car maker signed a memorandum of cooperation with China Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. for a potential partnership, the companies said in separate statements. Jianghuai said the two will be equal owners of the joint venture, and hope to reach a formal agreement within five months.

"As we aim to be at the forefront of e-mobility, Volkswagen Group is looking forward to explore all options to set up a close and mutually beneficial partnership with JAC," said Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mü ller. The company is targeting sales of a million electric vehicles a year world-wide by 2025.

Volkswagen, which derives more than a third of its global vehicle sales from China after three decades of operations there, currently has two car-making partners in the country: SAIC Motor Corp. in Shanghai and FAW Group Corp. in the northeast. Under government rules, foreign car makers must tie up with local partners to produce cars.

China limits foreign auto companies to two local partners to make gasoline-powered vehicles. While the limit doesn't apply to electric cars, most foreign companies choose to produce alternative-energy vehicles with their existing partners. Officials at SAIC and FAW didn't respond to requests for comment. Analysts say Volkswagen may be able to strike a more favorable deal with Jianghuai than its current partners.

"You may get a better agreement from a company who values your technology more. SAIC and FAW may already have [electric-vehicle] technologies and do not need VW as much as JAC," said Bill Russo, a Shanghai-based managing director at consultancy Gao Feng Advisory Co.

General Motors Co. plans to launch about 10 alternative-energy cars with its Chinese partners, SAIC and Wuling, by 2020. Nissan Motor Co. and its partner, Dongfeng Motor Corp., launched an all-electric car in China in 2014.

Wednesday's disclosure follows Volkswagen's purchase of a 16.6% stake in U.S.-based heavy truck maker Navistar International Corp. this week. Jianghuai, of Hefei in east China's Anhui province, is a major truck maker in China. It also builds conventional and electric cars. Earlier this year, Jianghuai signed a 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) agreement with NextEV Inc., an electric-car startup backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Sequoia Capital, to develop electric vehicles.

China is going all in on alternative-energy vehicles, as it seeks to cut dependence on oil imports and reduce air pollution. Beijing also regards electric cars as a shortcut for its companies to reach the forefront of an evolving global auto industry.

Chinese governments at all levels last year spent a total of 90 billion yuan ($14 billion) in the sector, including direct cash subsidies for electric-vehicle makers and construction of public charging stations, says UBS Securities.

Sales of electric and hybrid cars and buses quadrupled in 2015 from the previous year to 331,000 vehicles. In the first seven months of this year, sales of such vehicles rose 23% to 207,000 units.

Volkswagen's current strategy review calls for accelerating development of electric vehicles. Over the next decade, Volkswagen plans to develop around 30 new battery electric-car models, which could account for as much as 25% of the car maker's total sales.

The company has said it expects to launch the first fully autonomous vehicles by the end of the decade.

Rose Yu

Write to Rose Yu at rose.yu@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 07, 2016 14:27 ET (18:27 GMT)

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