VW Gives Sense of Deja Vu With Plan to Raise Returns in EV Shift

Volkswagen AG’s boss plans to raise returns by doling out more autonomy to brands like Audi and Skoda, treading familiar territory to make the carmaking behemoth more nimble in tackling future challenges.

The company seeks to lift its group margin to a range of 9% to 11% by the end of the decade, compared with last year’s 8.1%. With electric cars still less profitable than their combustion-engine siblings, much of this will hinge on fixing the VW brand that’s long struggled to catch up to rivals like Stellantis NV.

Europe’s biggest automaker will allow its four brand groups ...