
The Volkswagen supervisory board unanimously approved a restructuring plan on Thursday, September 3, 2026, which includes cutting around 50,000 jobs worldwide by 2030. Four German plants — Emden, Zwickau, Hanover, and the Audi site in Neckarsulm — have no guaranteed production workload between 2031 and 2034. The fate of the Spanish brand Seat, which has been part of the group for forty years, is not decided by this plan. Volkswagen employs around 650,000 people worldwide.
The group must present an industrial solution for the four plants by mid-2027, while Seat is still waiting for an official decision on its future.
A 2024 agreement already provided for 50,000 cuts, including 35,000 for the core brand, according to Zeit Online.
Volkswagen employs around 23,000 people, including 14,000 associated with Seat and 4,000 in Navarre.
Cupra, a brand born out of Seat, sold 170,100 vehicles in the first half of 2026, compared to 129,600 for Seat.
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The state of Lower Saxony, which holds a 20% stake in Volkswagen, has welcomed a "future concept".
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