Volkswagen is considering cutting up to 100,000 jobs globally, a move that would eliminate roughly 15% of its entire workforce. If executed, it would rank among the largest restructurings in automotive history.
The German automaker, which employs approximately 657,000 people worldwide, is reportedly weighing the closure of four major German plants as part of a sweeping cost-reduction strategy driven by CEO Oliver Blume. Manager Magazin first reported the plans on June 26, 2026. VW declined to comment on the specifics.
What the restructuring looks like
The scale here is staggering. Four German facilities are reportedly on the chopping block: Hanover, Zwickau, Emden, and Audi’s plant in Neckarsulm. Together, those closures alone could affect more than 45,000 jobs.
Beyond headcount, VW is also planning to slash its investment budget by 15%. The automaker had earmarked more than $148 billion in spending over the next five years. That figure is now being trimmed significantly.
