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Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

fortune.com

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Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#11

Post by bradly »

cs702 wrote: post #5

Correction: ...as demand for non-Tesla EVs plunges. Demand for Tesla EVs is... booming. Tesla sold 83% more cars in the most recent quarter than in the same quarter a year ago.[a] [a] https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/...

The actual article has the following title for me: VW is cutting jobs at its German EV factory because demand is plunging

The HN title is: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

Not sure why the difference but the article cites Tesla demand of one of the key reasons the demand "is plunging"

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#12

Post by DoesntMatter22 »

cs702 wrote: post #5

Correction: ...as demand for non-Tesla EVs plunges. Demand for Tesla EVs is... booming. Tesla sold 83% more cars in the most recent quarter than in the same quarter a year ago.[a] [a] https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/...

Competition is coming for tesla rolls eyes

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#13

Post by bearjaws »

cs702 wrote: post #5

Correction: ...as demand for non-Tesla EVs plunges. Demand for Tesla EVs is... booming. Tesla sold 83% more cars in the most recent quarter than in the same quarter a year ago.[a] [a] https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/...

They just cut the price on the model x and s.

They have thousands of model ys with discounts on their website as they are waiting to be sold at a dealership.

That not even including all the huge promotions on the model 3.

I wouldn't say Tesla isn't at least slowing down based on their nearly 3 month old earnings report.

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#14

Post by userbinator »

bradly wrote: post #11
cs702 wrote: post #5

Correction: ...as demand for non-Tesla EVs plunges. Demand for Tesla EVs is... booming. Tesla sold 83% more cars in the most recent quarter than in the same quarter a year ago.[a] [a] https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/...

The actual article has the following title for me: VW is cutting jobs at its German EV factory because demand is plunging The HN title is: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges Not sure why the difference but the article cites Tesla demand of one of the key reasons the demand "is plunging"

Perhaps "as demand for its EVs plunges" would be more appropriate, if it fits within the title length limit.

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#15

Post by bluedino »

AniseAbyss wrote: post #7
petee wrote: post #2

Is there really any surprise no one wants to pay $45000 for a compact car? What is the profit margin on EVs that its cheaper to not sell cars versus making them affordable and within reach of more customers? Edit: actually I can't tell if thats their cheapest car, VWs website sucks on mobile so I gave up. You'd think it'd be easy to just show the prices

Volkswagen got big (it's in the name) with building affordable cars like the Beetle and the Golf. Compact fuel efficient cars that a nurse or teacher could afford.

Your last sentence is interesting. Nurses make 2-3 times as much as (K-12) teachers in the USA

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#16

Post by Nevermark »

It is always strange to see a large industry getting disrupted, in slow motion, in plain sight.

The problem is, the leader of a new product direction has not just perfected the new tech, but identified and grown a new market segment and captured a new customer base.

The followers not only have to catch up with technology, but find new market segments with latent customers for their version of the new technology. After the original company scooped up all the low hanging market fruit.

That is a sneaky double whammy they don't plan for when they initially wait things out.

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#17

Post by micromacrofoot »

petee wrote: post #2

Is there really any surprise no one wants to pay $45000 for a compact car? What is the profit margin on EVs that its cheaper to not sell cars versus making them affordable and within reach of more customers? Edit: actually I can't tell if thats their cheapest car, VWs website sucks on mobile so I gave up. You'd think it'd be easy to just show the prices

the decline is mostly because a government subsidy ended

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#18

Post by wlesieutre »

fbdab103 wrote: post #8
petee wrote: post #2

Is there really any surprise no one wants to pay $45000 for a compact car? What is the profit margin on EVs that its cheaper to not sell cars versus making them affordable and within reach of more customers? Edit: actually I can't tell if thats their cheapest car, VWs website sucks on mobile so I gave up. You'd think it'd be easy to just show the prices

VW's site sucks on desktop as well. Ultra-wide monitor and I have to use a hamburger menu to see the navigation bar. Using the VW filters, the only electric that I see is the ID.4 SUV starting at $39k. Edit: Just went to Honda and the cheapest electric options are a CR-V hybrid at $29.5k or the Accord Hybrid at $32k.

Honda is probably not who you want to look at for EV comparisons. They have the Honda E (city car, I think being discontinued) and upcoming partnership with GM to rebadge the Blazer EV as Honda Prologue. And then there’s their “Afeela” joint venture with Sony which I’m sure will go great…

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#19

Post by cf141q5325 »

I am not so sure this is a bad thing. Electric vehicles still seem to be part of the same pattern of planed obsolesce and profitable waste production. Looking at the production and expected lifetime sustainability seems little more then an image from the marketing campaign. Not a surprise but maybe something worth mentioning given the hype.

Re: Volkswagen cuts jobs as demand for EVs plunges

#20

Post by makeitdouble »

> At the same time, Volkswagen is following Tesla, BMW AG and others in exporting an EV from lower-cost China to Europe. Its Cupra brand has announced plans to produce the Tavascan SUV at a factory in Anhui. Built on the same hardware and software platforms as the ID series, the model is due to hit the European market in 2024.

So, once again the only country to manufacture cutting edge technology goods at scale and at a reasonable cost ends up being China.

The geopolitical landscape when China's EV domination fully expends will be something else entirely...

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