https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/sep/02/volkswagen-vw-germany-plant-closures-cars-electric-vehicles
Plans underline European carmakers’ problems in switching from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric models
Meanwhile Renault will be producing the 5 (upcoming small EV) in France for a pretty low price considering modern car (and especially EV) pricing. It's even got a reasonable range.
My point bringing that up is... if this happens, it's because VW is being greedy and seeks to outsource labour – likely to Asia. It's not because it's a necessary move to make their business viable.
I've always liked VAG cars, shit I currently have one, but they've been making such massive missteps for years now.
They're looking for subsidies it seems, they're getting some pretty generous benefits from the Canadian government so might as well take advantage of it.
ah yes this is it. They just threaten politics, so big corps get money again from governments to stay.
Username does not check out! Not at all! What have the Wormhole-beings done to you Nagus?!
Have driven VAG cars for most of my driving life (25 years out of 27) and have always found something that suited my life at the time. I'm currently driving an Arteon Shooting Brake, but that's no longer made and the iD range is just dull, dull, dull. The Audi EVs are priced so high they're ridiculous, and the Cupras are just not different enough from the iDs.. I'm hoping the Skoda concepts come to fruition, but they'll most likely be dulled down and not as cool as they look now (the Epiq looks neat).... We shall see. But it may be time to move on.
I might be getting old, but I don't want a dull car, thanks!
There's nothing wrong with leaving thousands jobless? Pulling out of an area and community that's contributed so much to your success? Moving more and more operations to a country that practices genocide?
I think we have very different views on morality.
The net number of jobs does not change. They are not eliminating jobs, they are moving them. The same number of people are employed.
The net number of jobs does not change.
That's not necessarily true at all. Companies downsize virtually all the time when they move.
And it's not even what I said anyway, you're putting words in my mouth. I said leaving thousands jobless. Do you understand?
And just glossing over the genocide part, eh? I'll ask you directly: is genocide bad, good, or neither?
Address my comment then I might consider answering subsequent questions from you.
Why do you hate those people?
oMg wHy dO yOu wAnT tHe GeRmAn fAcToRy WoRkErS tO STaRvE tO dEaTh aNd ThEiR bAbiES tO DiE?? wHy dO yOu HaTe tHeM sO mUCh??
You are just a racist. It offends you that people in the developing world are getting jobs.
Seems like a misstep. If the cars aren’t selling, look outside the manufacturing plant for the problems.
I mean they hiked considerably the prices and then wonder why their cars aren't selling well. Plus VW cars are very boring.
Boring is good. I'd rather a car be boring than surprising. Especially at highway speeds.
The real issue is the pricetag. Most folks as I understand it want a car to go to work and run errands or whatever. The appeal of Japanese cars historically has been their reliability and competitive price. They were,'t really luxury vehicles, but took a huge chunk of the market by being a commuter car.
People wanting exciting cars are probably looking for sports cars or muscle cars or whatever that VW doesn't have much of a hand in.
Well don’t forget the diesel emission scandal. They’ll happily cheat for profit as hard as possible.
The Wolfsburg-based manufacturer on Monday informed its works council
Goshdarnit Guardian. You mean management, as in the CEO, informed the board, which has 50% - 1 seats allocated to the works council. Who already expressed their preference for the CEO to shove it. Then we have the seats representing the state stake (Lower Saxony owns 20%), which let it be known, somewhat more statesmanlike, that "the question of works closures won't arise because every other option will be exhausted first".
My prediction? If the CEO doesn't clearly communicate that "those were of course theoretical considerations unlikely to have practical relevance" there's going to be a new CEO.
I work in heavy machinery. We use tons of metal, like literally. We're still dominating the market with competitive prices and good technology. Building cars is amateur time in comparison.
Edit: the main portion of costs is personnel. We have a gigantic service network and they're expensive as fuck because Germany has a good union (IG Metall). Gas is absolutely of no concern to us at all.
sounds like german auto industry lost its competitive edge due to shiti management and too much state aid.
good to hear that your industry is able to compete despite gas prices!
I will agree with that. Im honestly very happy and proud that we manage to power through the slight recession. And im 100% sure its because of good management. We jumped on board the sustainability train fairly quickly and we're definitely benefitting from it. It helps that our customers are doing the same. Conservative mindset is what's ruining our industry (and our political landscape). All they do is whine when things won't work the way they used to and then they wait for state aid.
Anywho, thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it!
Thank you for providing additional details.
Are owners of poorly ran enterprises just asking for bailouts? Or are they literally not competitive? Trying to better understand reason for decline in industrial output etc.
I live in the countryside and flapping my arms does nothing. I need a car for the occasions when I don’t walk.
Just use the bus, it comes twice in the morning so you are either an hour early or hour late from work, and leaves half an hour before your day ends and then once more at midnight.
Convenient!
I don't know man, I live in a somewhat rural area and just take my ebike to work when i have to. Most of the time i work from home though. I'd gladly see the German car industry die to make way for more efficient cars from Japan or France for example. German car manufacturers have completely forgotten where they came from and are just selling overpriced luxury cars that are unreliable as fuck.
Once there are no more cars, all other transport will improve. People still need to go everywhere and there will be more buses, more bike lanes, more trams and trains etc..
Yeah, once there's sufficient public transport in rural areas. Which there isn't. So no, we still need cars.