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Volkswagen is scaling again manufacturing of its electrical autos in Europe to satisfy EV demand that’s not rising as quick because it hoped.
Representatives for Volkswagen’s factories in Germany have confirmed upcoming manufacturing pauses to Automotive Information and Bloomberg.
Manufacturing at Zwickau will probably be paused for per week beginning October 6, reportedly due to low demand for the Audi This autumn e-tron within the US as a result of tariffs. Zwickau additionally produces the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 and electrical SUVs, and the intently associated ID.3 and Cupra Born hatchbacks.
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The strains can even cease on the Dresden ‘Clear Manufacturing unit’ in the course of the first week of the October autumn holidays, with a spokesperson saying the break is as a result of “the corporate is adjusting its manufacturing schedule to the present market scenario”.
Initially constructed as the corporate’s showcase manufacturing facility to supply the Phaeton limousine, Volkswagen’s ill-fated try and push itself into S-Class territory, the Clear Manufacturing unit now produces the Volkswagen ID.3.
The Emden manufacturing facility, which produces the ID.4, and the ID.7 sedan and wagon, has in the reduction of employee hours, and is planning to close down for a number of days.
Volkswagen Business’s manufacturing facility in Hanover can even halt manufacturing in the course of the October autumn holidays, affecting the ‘T7’ Multivan and ID. Buzz electrical folks mover.
Figures from Dataforce, as printed by Automotive Information final week, present that Volkswagen (with 16,105 gross sales) was the primary model within the EV sector throughout Europe in August, with gross sales up 45 per cent over the identical time final 12 months.
It edged out second-placed Tesla (14,345), which was down 23 per cent, and BMW (12,546) in third, up seven per cent.
The rest of the highest 10 consists of Skoda (11,223), Audi (9564), Hyundai (8229), Mercedes-Benz (8207), Renault (7501), Ford (6619), and BYD (6465). All these manufacturers, besides Mercedes-Benz, recorded big will increase of between 54 and 123 per cent over the identical time final 12 months.
Whereas Volkswagen was primary general, the Tesla Mannequin Y electrical SUV (84,314) stays the best-selling EV all through Europe this 12 months. Though it’s down an alarming 34.0 per cent, it’s nonetheless properly forward of the Volkswagen ID.4 (51,380), up 33.6 per cent.
The Tesla Mannequin 3 sedan (50,237) rounds out the 2025 podium regardless of a 29.0 per cent drop.
The remainder of the highest 10 consists of the Volkswagen ID.3 (49,275), Skoda Elroq (48,776), Volkswagen ID.7 (47,501), Kia EV3 (45,119), Renault 5 E-Tech (43,738), BMW iX1 (43,128), and Skoda Enyaq (41,970), all of which had been up at the least 26.6 per cent over this time final 12 months.
Dataforce’s figures present the general EV market in Europe rising 26 per cent in August over the identical month in 2024.
Regardless of the optimistic gross sales knowledge, Volkswagen’s devoted EV factories are working properly under capability as demand for electrical vehicles has not accelerated on the tempo most producers had been hoping and planning for.
This has pressured many producers to cut back EV manufacturing plans, and approve the event of recent generations of petrol and plug-in hybrid fashions.
Current about-faces embrace Porsche’s resolution so as to add petrol engines to the brand new Boxster, Bentley approving new a non-electric technology of the Flying Spur and Continental, and Volvo giving the greenlight a third-generation XC90.
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