Volkswagen may add 50,000 job cuts, total near 100,000

Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume has informed employees that the company may need to cut an additional 50,000 jobs globally, a move that could bring total planned workforce reductions across the group to approximately 100,000 positions. The announcement, made in an internal memo on July 13, 2026, confirms for the first time the scale of the restructuring being considered by Europe's largest automaker as it confronts a severe cost disadvantage.

Blume stated that Volkswagen currently operates with a 20 percent cost disadvantage compared to rival automakers. To close this gap, the company is evaluating the necessity and feasibility of cutting up to 50,000 more jobs worldwide. This figure is in addition to a previously agreed plan to eliminate roughly 50,000 positions across the Volkswagen Group, including at its Porsche and Audi subsidiaries, a cost-saving initiative launched in 2024.

The CEO's memo followed a presentation of restructuring proposals to the company's supervisory board on July 9, 2026. According to sources familiar with the discussions, labor representatives on the board blocked the proposals, which reportedly included further job cuts and the potential closure of four...