After the closure of the Slovak factory, the doors of all other Volkswagen factories in Europe will also close on Friday.
That reports the German Der Spiegel based on a letter allegedly sent to all employees. Due to the corona crisis, the manufacturer would see no other way out than to stop its European production in the near future. The last shift would be made at the production sites on Friday. It is not yet clear which factories are involved. The German newspaper speaks of “most factories in Germany and Europe”.
A final report is said to follow soon. Volkswagen is currently presenting its latest company results at a major press conference. “2020 is a very difficult year,” said CEO Herbert Diess. Due to the latest developments, he is concerned about the economic situation that follows.
The Volkswagen Group has a total of 124 factories worldwide, 72 of which are located in Europe. Production takes place in 28 different locations in Germany. The closure of European production facilities could jeopardize the introduction of the electric ID.3. His arrival, which is planned for this summer, was already questioned by software problems before the corona crisis.
*UPDATE*
During the presentation discussed above, Diess confirmed that the factories will close “two to three weeks”. An official message has yet to follow.