MUNICH — Volkswagen could should spend extra to ship its deliberate transformation, Hans Dieter Poetsch, the automaker’s supervisory board chairman mentioned, significantly a shift in the direction of autonomous driving.

VW, which plans to take a position 150 billion euros ($178 billion) in its enterprise by 2025, has repeatedly mentioned that it may fund the transition in the direction of electrical autos and autonomous driving based mostly on present money flows.

“We’re in a section the place substantial free money flows are being generated. Meaning we will pay out good dividends in addition to comfortably fund our enterprise going ahead,” Hans Dieter Poetsch advised Reuters on the Munich auto present.

“However in fact, we’re in an setting through which we can not rule out that bigger sums, for instance within the discipline of autonomous driving, should be invested,” Poetsch, who can also be CEO of Porsche SE, which is VW’s largest shareholder.

“It’s due to this fact recommendable to suppose one or two steps forward,” Poetsch added, with out specifying particulars.

Toyota mentioned on Tuesday it expects to spend greater than $13.5 billion by 2030 to develop batteries and a battery provide system because the automaker strikes to ship its first full-electric lineup subsequent 12 months.

Poetsch declined to touch upon a possible preliminary public providing of luxurious automotive division Porsche, which sources advised Reuters in Might is a situation VW has contemplated ought to it require extra money to pay for its technique.

“From right now’s perspective our monetary scenario is comparatively comfy. And as a part of our planning rounds, which we’re holding every year, we’re recurrently reviewing the place there’s a want,” Poetsch mentioned.

Analysts say {that a} partial IPO of Porsche, hypothesis over which has recurrently lifted VW’s inventory, may worth the unit at 45 billion euros to 90 billion, a serious lever VW may pull to fill its coffers.

“The intelligent finance govt will at all times have a listing with choices for learn how to present prolonged monetary flexibility for the corporate,” Poetsch added.