Volkswagen says cutting 100,000 jobs by end of decade
Volkswagen has announced plans to cut 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade due to intense competition from China, U.S. tariffs, and shifting demand for electric vehicles. This restructuring includes the potential closure of German factories, marking a significant shift for the automotive giant.
Why it matters
The massive job cuts highlight the severe economic pressures facing the European automotive industry as it struggles to adapt to global market changes and the transition to EVs.
German car giant Volkswagen said on Thursday (September 3, 2026) that management and unions had agreed to cut a further 50,000 jobs by the end of the decade, bringing total job losses to 100,000.
"It is essential to systematically align workforce levels with economic realities," the 10-brand group said in a statement.
The firm had approved a plan which involved "the reduction of around 50,000 jobs", on top of another 50,000 already agreed, it added.
Hit by U.S. tariffs, patchy demand for electric cars and above all fierce competition in and from China, Europe's largest carmaker is in trouble.
The firm, which apart from its namesake also includes brands such as Audi and Porsche, had already agreed to cut about 50,000 jobs worldwide.
The total 100,000 cuts will be the largest restructuring ever carried out in the global automotive industry, amounting to about 15% of the carmaker's staff worldwide.
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