From Tallbloke’s Talkshop

September 14, 2023 by oldbrew

Subsidies, wealthy buyers and niche markets only get EV makers so far, it seems. The old problems are still there – initial cost, range anxiety, slow charging, battery life etc. Moaning about humans supposedly having adverse effects on the weather turns out to be a weak selling point for the mass market.
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Volkswagen is cutting almost 300 roles at a factory in Germany as demand for electric cars dwindles, reports The Telegraph.

The redundancies are being carried out at the car giant’s plant in Zwickau, where a further 2,000 temporary workers are also at risk of losing their jobs.

Volkswagen’s Zwickau factory only produces electric vehicles, which have fallen in popularity due to high inflation and faltering government support. [Talkshop comment – is that crutch expected to go on forever?]

The job cuts, which were first reported by the German press agency DPA, come as the company prepares for an influx of cheaper electric cars from China.

While purchases of electric vehicles have been strong in the past few years, manufacturers fear customers are being increasingly put off because they are too expensive.

Figures show that battery-powered cars cost around £10,000 more than petrol-driven equivalents, while the price gap between electricity and petrol has also narrowed.

Drivers had previously been told that high upfront costs for electric cars could be recouped through cheaper charging.

However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a surge in electricity prices.

To combat the issue, UK carmakers have been lobbying for cheaper public charges for drivers who don’t have access to outlets at home.

Volkswagen, which was contacted for comment, previously cut electric car production at another of its biggest factories after waning interest led to lower sales than expected.

Full report here.