VW to shut down production at Emden plant for two days

DPA
·1 min read
The brand tower at Volkswagen's main plant can be seen in the morning behind cables of a railroad line. Volkswagen said it will shut down operations at its plant in Emden, Germany on 01 and 02 February, affecting both combustion engine and electric car production. Moritz Frankenberg/dpa
The brand tower at Volkswagen's main plant can be seen in the morning behind cables of a railroad line. Volkswagen said it will shut down operations at its plant in Emden, Germany on 01 and 02 February, affecting both combustion engine and electric car production. Moritz Frankenberg/dpa

Volkswagen said it will shut down operations at its plant in Emden, Germany on Thursday and Friday, affecting both combustion engine and electric car production.

"The reason for this is the stagnating demand for the Passat model produced in Emden, which will be phased out at the beginning of March," said a spokeswoman in Emden.

Labour representatives from the local works council and the company jointly agreed on the production halt.

In order to ensure a "synchronized factory operation" at the plant, the production of e-vehicles was being halted on these two days even though the trouble stemmed from the Passat, which has a traditional engine.

These shifts for e-vehicle production will made up on Saturdays in the second half of the year.

In August last year, VW began the production of the new ID.7 electric limousine in Emden, located in north-western Germany.

The smaller ID.4 compact electric SUV and the Passat, Arteon and Arteon Shooting Brake combustion models are also built there.

The Passat production is set to be relocated to the plant in Bratislava in a few weeks. Production of the Arteon is to be phased out gradually.