Volkswagen’s Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz is reportedly considering substantial cuts to the Group’s investment plans, which could include shelving a billion-euro update to its MEB electric modular system.
The German automaker, which initially aimed to refresh its electric ID.3 and ID.4 models, may instead opt for a direct transition to the delayed SSP platform by 2028.
According to a report by Manager Magazin, Volkswagen is evaluating a reduction of approximately €20 billion in its upcoming five-year investment plan. The budget could decrease from €180 billion to €160 billion, with savings likely to impact development and administrative areas.
The MEB+ project, intended to extend the life of the current electric vehicle platform until SSP’s arrival, now faces uncertainty. Antlitz reportedly favors postponing the first SSP models until 2028, a three-year delay from initial targets.
This decision could lead to the cancellation of a planned electric SUV, which was to be produced in Wolfsburg.
The report also suggests Volkswagen may cut up to 30,000 jobs in Germany over the medium term, with significant reductions in research and development roles. However, Volkswagen has denied any specific figures. A company spokeswoman acknowledged the need to lower costs at German sites but did not confirm potential job losses, stating, “How we achieve this goal together with the employee representatives is part of the upcoming talks.” The General Works Council labeled the figure of 30,000 job cuts as “nonsense.”