Volkswagen's board has approved plans to cut a further 50,000 jobs, bringing the total number of roles to be eliminated by 2030 to 100,000. The German carmaker, whose brands include Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Seat, Bentley and Lamborghini, has been squeezed by falling sales and fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers, alongside sharp profit declines. Chief executive Oliver Blume described the move as a "strong signal" for the firm's future, calling it the biggest restructuring in the company's near nine-decade history.

VW confirmed in March it would cut 50,000 roles by the end of the decade, with Blume signalling in July that further cuts were being considered. The company, which employed more than 660,000 people worldwide as of 2025, said it would prioritise its "most compelling vehicles" to cut costs and is reviewing the future of its Emden, Zwickau, Hanover and Neckarsulm plants, where output exceeds demand. Sales have been hit in China, once a key market, and in the US, partly due to tariffs under President Trump, while union figure Christianne Benner said VW had "fought hard for good solutions" amid a "crisis situation".