GoKawiil
Tech News
Toyota is said to be developing a battery-electric version of the Corolla, its best-selling nameplate globally, according to a recent report. This would mark the first time the long-running compact car lineup has offered a fully electric option alongside its existing gas and hybrid variants.
Germany's automotive sector is confronting a sharp downturn, with European car sales dropping from nearly 18 million units in 2019 to about 13 million in 2025. Rising competition from Chinese manufacturers, new 25 percent US tariffs on imports, and an aging workforce have combined to push Volkswagen Group toward considering shutting four of its domestic factories, a move once thought unimaginable.
Volkswagen's Executive Board has formally approved a restructuring program dubbed Future Plan 2030, confirming it will eliminate 50,000 jobs, including management positions, to hit a nine percent operating margin target by 2030. The plan also involves halving its model lineup, cutting product complexity by 75 percent, and reportedly retiring the Seat brand while keeping Cupra. Volkswagen says European factories are running over 500,000 units above demand, and it will decide the fate of plants in Emden, Zwickau, Hanover and Neckarsulm by mid-2027.