The unfortunate situation in Ukraine has officially impacted the automotive industry. Firstly, Volkswagen EV production has come to a halt at two of its plants in Germany. Unfortunately, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stopped the deliveries of some of the electric vehicle components Volkswagen uses. This makes it impossible for the automaker to continue production in these locations. This is how the Ukraine crisis caused Volkswagen EV production to halt in Germany.
The Ukraine crisis caused a Volkswagen EV production halt
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Compact battery-electric cars share the VW Group’s MEB platform for three different automakers. The change impacts Volkswagen, Audi, and Cupra vehicles. According to Automotive News, production at the Zwickau plant will stop from Tuesday to Friday and in Dresden from Wednesday to Friday.
“The Volkswagen Group’s global supplier network, which comprises more than 40,000 suppliers, also includes some suppliers in western Ukraine. Due to the current situation in this region, there may be disruptions in the supply chain,” a VW spokesman told Automotive News Europe.
Which VW EVs are built in Germany? What parts aren’t arriving?
2022 Volkswagen ID.4 | Volkswagen of America, Inc. Newspress Limited
A few different components failed to reach their location because of the Ukraine crisis. Ukraine produces electric cable harnesses for VW EVs, among other components. Understandably, that production is not currently taking place. As we’ve learned throughout the ongoing global chip shortage, any one part affects all vehicle production. Moreover, automakers can’t produce vehicles without most parts, even those that seem insignificant. However, in this situation, electrical cable harnesses in an EV are essential.
Vehicles that have stopped production in Germany are the Volkswagen ID.3, VW ID.4, VW ID.5, Audi Q4 etron, and Cupra Born electric cars for the Zwickau factory. As for the Dresden factory, the only affected car it builds is the ID.3. According to Automotive News, Zwickau is currently Volkswagen’s most crucial European EV production location.
How many VW EV models won’t be made because of the production halt?
Automotive News reported that almost 1,200 electric vehicles from various brands are made per day. Consequently, each day that passes without production is a massive loss for the companies. Volkswagen, Audi, and Cupra production will fall far behind because of the three-day stoppage. In addition, distributors of these brands worldwide will be impacted, as will customers wishing to buy one. It seems like on top of the chip shortage; other things will keep making the car market worse.
According to Volkswagen, 330,000 e-models per year should roll off the production line in the Zwickau plant. Additionally, the automaker claims it is the world’s first volume manufacturer to convert an entire plant from the combustion engine to electric mobility. Among all of its factories, VW plans to build over 1.5 million e-cars per year worldwide by 2025.
As for the Dresden factory, it started production of only the Volkswagen ID.3 in January 2021. Before that date, Volkswagen produced the VW e-Golf, VW Phaeton, and Bentley Flying Spur at this location.
Ukraine crisis caused a VW EV production halt
In conclusion, the Russian invasion of Ukraine will certainly affect everything the country does. Currently, it is responsible for creating electrical cable harnesses, among other components, for specific Volkswagen EVs. Since they cannot do so, 1,200 vehicles per day will go unproduced. The overall impact this will have is unknown, but it seems that every automaker needs every car it can get.
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