In the age of EVs, Volkswagen's road to riches or ruin starts in this plant

It's here that VW, the world's biggest carmaker with annual production of more than 10 mn vehicles, wants to prove it can morph into an electric-car champion and survive the end of combustion engines

Six months ago, Volkswagen AG plunked down a few dozen building containers next to its sprawling assembly halls in Zwickau, eastern Germany. The graceless space stands apart from the rest of the sleek plant, but it's inside that the carmaker is really breaking new ground.

One module houses a walk-in time capsule curated with meticulous attention to detail. There's a vintage bicycle and antique furniture; old books and black-and-white photos adorn the walls under the glow of light bulbs mounted on old-fashioned fixtures; hidden loudspeakers play the clip-clop of horses pulling carriages. 

The not-so-hidden message Volkswagen wants to instill in the minds