Volkswagen is temporarily halting production of its VW ID.3 and Cupra Born electric vehicles (EVs) at its Zwickau and Dresden plants in Germany. According to a VW spokesperson, the decision to suspend production for the first two weeks of October is in response to weakened demand for the two EVs.
Volkswagen has been grappling with intensified competition from Tesla and an expanding array of Chinese automakers. Additionally, the European electric vehicle (EV) market has experienced a drop in demand due to high inflation and reductions in subsidies. These factors have led to the decreased demand for the ID3 and Cupra Born models and the subsequent decision to suspend production temporarily.
At VW’s Zwickau plant the shutdown will take place during the autumn holidays from October 2 to October 13, during which time vehicle production will be scaled back. Similarly, ID.3 production in Dresden will be paused from October 2 and is set to resume on October 16. The number of employees affected by this temporary production halt has not been disclosed by Volkswagen. (via Reuters)
The VW ID.3, a fully electric compact car introduced in 2019 is a cornerstone of Volkswagen’s transition to electric mobility. Similarly, the Cupra Born, an electric vehicle with a more performance-oriented focus, is a crucial part of the VW Group’s electrification strategy.
