Volkswagen aims to be the world leader in electric cars by 2025, brand chief Herbert Diess said Tuesday, as the German car giant shifts its focus to clean-energy vehicles after the dieselgate emissions cheating scandal.

"By 2025 we plan to sell one million electric cars per year, and by then we also want to be the global market leader in electromobility," Diess said at a presentation of the brand's future plans.

"Going forward our electric cars will be the hallmark of Volkswagen," he added.