German Auto Industry Sees 125,000 More Job Losses by 2035 as EU Rules Threaten 50,000
Updated
Updated · vda.de · May 13
German Auto Industry Sees 125,000 More Job Losses by 2035 as EU Rules Threaten 50,000
4 articles · Updated · vda.de · May 13
125,000 additional German auto jobs could disappear by 2035, the VDA said, lifting the sector’s projected net employment decline to about 225,000 versus 2019 and worsening its prior outlook by 35,000.
100,000 jobs have already been lost since 2019, and the industry group said the slide is accelerating because new investment and transition-related jobs are increasingly being created outside Germany.
50,000 jobs could be preserved if the EU softened its 2035 CO2 fleet rules to give plug-in hybrids, range extenders and combustion engines using renewable fuels a larger role alongside battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles.
The VDA blamed high taxes, energy and labor costs, bureaucracy and rigid regulation for weakening Germany as a production base, and urged Berlin and Brussels to push a more flexible, technology-neutral EU automotive package.
German automakers oppose EU green rules and protectionist acts. What is their real survival strategy as 225,000 jobs vanish?
As cars become computers, are German drivers losing the right to repair their vehicles amid soaring maintenance costs?
225,000 Jobs at Risk: The German Auto Industry’s Crisis and the Road to Workforce Resilience
Overview
The German automotive sector is facing a major employment crisis, with projections of 225,000 job losses by 2035. This is driven by a combination of profound technological shifts, such as the move from combustion engines to electric vehicles, and escalating competitiveness challenges in Germany and Europe. Suppliers are expected to be hit hardest as the industry transforms. The growing influence of Chinese EV manufacturers and evolving EU policy frameworks add further pressure. Together, these factors are reshaping the industry, threatening traditional jobs, and forcing companies and policymakers to seek new strategies for resilience and worker transition.