Volkswagen had ambitious plans to expand the production of its electric Volkswagen ID3 to its main facility in Wolfsburg. However, that plan has been shelved, meaning no electric vehicles (EVs) will be manufactured in Volkswagen’s hometown for the foreseeable future.
As a prominent automotive brand, Volkswagen has been eager to pursue its electric ambitions. While the ID3 has been rolling off the assembly lines in Zwickau since 2019, Volkswagen had intended to extend production to its Wolfsburg base. Originally slated for this summer, those plans have now been definitively scrapped.
The announcement from the German equivalent of the ANP, DPA, doesn’t come as a complete shock. Production in Zwickau has already faced some setbacks, including scaling back and temporary halts, due to slower-than-expected progress in transitioning to electric vehicle production.
With demand lagging, there’s currently no need to retrofit a Wolfsburg factory for EV production. Christian Vollmer, Volkswagen’s production director, emphasized the importance of prudent spending in light of these circumstances.
Consequently, Zwickau remains the primary hub for ID3 production, supplemented by a smaller output from Dresden.
In the immediate future, the decision means that Wolfsburg won’t be producing any EVs. Volkswagen’s headquarters will continue focusing on vehicles with internal combustion engines, whether traditional or hybrid. However, there are long-term plans to integrate EV production into Wolfsburg’s operations. According to Finanzen.net, a compact electric SUV is slated for production in 2026.
This setback isn’t the first for Volkswagen’s electric ambitions in Wolfsburg. Earlier, the company decided to halt plans for constructing a new flagship electric model at the facility.
