While Volkswagen Group bosses in Germany have recently had difficult conversations with workers about cutting costs, the carmaker’s Australian arm is confident the auto giant’s local operations will continue as usual. In September, Volkswagen Group finance chief Arno Antlitz attended a gathering of 25,000 workers at the company’s Wolfsburg headquarters to say they needed to work with management to cut spending . “We have been spending more money at the brand than we earn for some time now.
That can’t go well in the long term. If we carry on like this, we won’t succeed in the transformation,” he was quoted as saying, which was reportedly met with heckling from the audience. The transformation in question is Volkswagen’s shift to electric vehicles (EVs), which has been met with difficulties in Europe on account of changes to subsidies – not to mention slowing global demand.
But in Australia, where EVs are not yet the primary cars of choice, cost-cutting in Germany is expected to have little to no impact on Volkswagen’s local operations. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal.
Browse now . Volkswagen Group Australia corporate communications general manager Paul Pottinger says Australia and Europe present two “completely different” situations for the brand. “Our situation in Australia is unique in so many respects, not least of which is the fact our relationship with EVs is mat.