A MAJOR car brand is set to chop 6,000 jobs as part of cost-cutting plans amid an expensive EV roll out.
Skoda could lose up to 15 per cent of it’s 41,000 strong workforce as part of their bid to stay afloat amid a global fall in demand.
The company is in talks to roll out a full-electric version of its Octavia compact hatchback[/caption]
Up to 6,000 jobs could be axed[/caption]
At the same time, the Czech manufacturer is planning to boost their EV sales by eight per cent through their Volkswagen Group.
CEO Klaus Zellmer told Automobilwoche at a conference that job cuts will go through natural fluctuation.
It comes as the company is in talks to roll out a full-electric version of its Octavia compact hatchback too.
This would add to their already extensive lineup comprised of the Enyaq and Enyaq Coupe SUVs, and Elroq crossover.
Zellmer added how it would “do Skoda good” to introduce another BEV – and the Octavia could prove to be a best-seller.
But the Czech car maker also admitted Skoda’s EV range generates much lower profit figures compared to their combustion engine models.
This comes as another huge car brand permanently closed a giant EV factory and slashed 3,000 jobs.
Audi announced it has shut down its Brussels plant for good – sparking fears production on the beloved Q8 E-tron could dramatically stop.
Production boss Gerd Walker said: “The decision to close the Brussels factory is painful.
“Personally, it was the toughest decision I have ever had to make in my professional career.”
The Brussel Times reported the site’s closure put “more than 3,000 Belgian jobs at risk”.
The German manufacturer did not give an exact reason for the move but admitted they have battled “long-standing structural challenges” at the site.
The factory was the main producer of the Q8 E-tron, originally known just as the E-tron, since 2022.
The closure is set to leave the future of the model unclear.
Elsewhere, a longstanding car dealership has already shut six locations across the UK in its biggest-ever round of closures after axing 250 jobs.
Six sites are set to shut down, marking one of the biggest rounds of cuts since Lithia took over the company last year.
The closures include three ‘direct pod’ locations in St Albans, Hanworth, and Orpington, as well as Vauxhall dealerships in Portsmouth and Wolverhampton.
A Renault and Dacia showroom in Doncaster will also close its doors.
Evans Halshaw has confirmed a fresh wave of dealership closures as its American owner, Lithia, continues to downsize its UK operations.
The news comes at the same times as Donald Trump revealed his plan to introduce a 25 per cent tariff on cars and other good from the EU.
European autoshares fell after the move and EU boss Ursula von der Leyen described a “deep and disruptive transition ahead”.
International car sales faced a steep decline last year, with French and German manufacturers affected the worse.
According to an Allianz Trade report, European manufacturers had been edged out by US and Chinese rivals including Tesla.
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The Czech manufacturer is planning to boost their EV sales by eight per cent through their Volkswagen Group[/caption]
