Volkswagen plans another 50,000 job cuts in biggest restructuring in 90 years
German carmaker Volkswagen is set to cut another 50,000 jobs by 2030 as part of its biggest restructuring in almost 90 years, taking the total number of positions it plans to eliminate by the end of the decade to 100,000.Volkswagen, one of the world’s largest carmakers, owns brands including Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Seat, Bentley and Lamborghini. The group has been grappling with weaker sales, falling profits and intensifying competition, particularly from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers.The company’s supervisory board approved the latest workforce reduction plan on Thursday. Volkswagen had already announced in March that it would cut 50,000 jobs by 2030.“A fundamental adjustment of the global workforce capability is necessary” to protect the company’s competitiveness amid changing demand and rapid technological shifts, Volkswagen said, as quoted by BBC.The company said the latest round of restructuring would involve “approximately 50,000 positions – including management roles”. It also plans to focus on its “most compelling vehicles” and increase production volumes for each model in an effort to reduce costs.Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume described the decision as a “strong signal” for the company’s future, saying it was “taking responsibility for our entire workforce”. Blume had told the BBC in July that Volkswagen was considering further job cuts.The carmaker is also reviewing the future of four German plants in Emden, Zwickau, Hanover and Neckarsulm, where production capacity currently exceeds demand. “Alternative uses for these plants are being assessed,” Volkswagen said.The restructuring comes as Volkswagen seeks to restore profitability and remain competitive in a rapidly changing global auto industry. The group employed more than 660,000 people worldwide in 2025.Christianne Benner, president of Europe’s largest industrial union IG Metall and deputy chair of Volkswagen’s Supervisory Board, said the carmaker had “fought hard for good solutions” to address what she described as a “crisis situation”.
