cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/51436037
Volkswagen is stopping production at two German electric car factories due to concerns about declining demand.
According to media reports, business with combustion engines continues to be strong. At the main plant in Wolfsburg, for example, special shifts are planned for almost every weekend until Christmas due to the allegedly strong demand for bestsellers such as the Golf, Tiguan and Tayron.
Shut down and stop is a different thing…
Also, Volkswagen EV sales increased nearly 50% in the first half of 2025 (see link below).
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/07/10/volkswagen-ev-sales-surge-47-percent-in-2025/
It is not good. Infrastructure is lacking in big parts of Europe. As a citizen, I would focus on that, rather than Chinese EVs (if they scare the industry, it is good though).
And busses, trains, bikes. Too much cars in this comm.
Infrastructure does not only mean how many chargers there are. It also means how you can use those chargers. Why do I need 3 apps to have the best price? Why do I need a monthly contract with some company? Why is ad-hoc charging so fucking expensive? Why is no one regulating this?
That’s what happens when you resist innovation (electric cars) because industry demands you maintain legacy (fossil fuels).
It’s not just about the environment now, it’s also about the economy.
The exploding chinese EVs that record everything for winnie the poo ping. That lock you inside for no reasons. Yeah no i pass.
If only there was something they could do about their lack of innovation and ability to meet the actual demands of consumers.
That said, I also don’t think China is playing quite fair, AFAIK their currency is massively undervalued. Which would make it prudent to put up some tariffs, unless we want our car industry to go the way our solar industry went (destroyed by fossil fuel industry whores, now we buy all our solar panels from China).
The frustrating thing is that Germany is one of the most innovative countries when it comes to exactly this type of technology but the living fossils running industry giants are like: „Let me die already!“ while hitting themselves on the head with a hammer.
Oh no. Is this going to turn into solar panels all over again?
You should reconsider putting up a tariff.
Declining demand for electric SUVs designed for and primarily sold in China and the US.
