Germany’s automotive industry is undergoing significant restructuring. Volkswagen is reportedly planning to cut up to 100,000 jobs, roughly 15% of its global workforce, as Chinese electric vehicle competitors continue to gain ground.
Four major production plants in Germany, including facilities in Hanover, Zwickau, Emden, and Audi’s Neckarsulm site, are reportedly on the chopping block.
The scale of the restructuring
Audi has its own plan to eliminate 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029. Bosch intends to cut 13,000 positions in its automotive division by 2030.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry, known as VDA, has revised its job loss projections upward by 35,000 for the coming decade. The VDA now estimates an additional 125,000 positions will disappear, on top of the roughly 100,000 jobs the sector has already shed in recent years.
