Volkswagen Group is reportedly planning to cut 2000 jobs at its troubled Cariad software unit as part of a restructuring plan that will see its long-awaited software platforms delayed even further.
As reported by German publication manager magazin and later picked up by Reuters, the job cuts will take place from 2024 until the end of 2025.
As a result of these job cuts, the forthcoming 1.2 software architecture– set to used in the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan EV – will reportedly be delayed by 16 to 18 weeks.
Automobilwoche reports the Q6 e-tron now won’t be revealed until March 2024. It was previously going to be revealed this year, with the company recently detailing its exterior and interior design.
Audi Q6 e-tron
The Porsche Macan EV on the other hand was originally set to be unveiled in 2022, but was subsequently pushed to 2023, and now, 2024.
Both the Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan EV are set to be the first models based on the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platfrom Electric (PPE) architecture, featuring an 800-volt electrical architecture.
The next 2.0 software architecture originally planned for 2025 is reportedly being completely redesigned.
In addition, the Volkswagen Group’s forthcoming Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) architecture is also reportedly being redeveloped. This means the forthcoming Trinity flagship and electric Mk 9 Golf could be delayed.
Spied Porsche Macan EV prototype
The company recently announced it won’t be building the €2 billion (~A$3.3 billion) dedicated factory for its upcoming Trinity flagship as initially planned.
It will instead be produced at Volkswagen’s existing plant in Zwickau at the end of the decade, which will under go updates to manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) built on the SSP architecture.
manager magazin reports this plan still requires approval from the works council which has negotiated job guarantees for workers until mid-2025.
“We don’t accept this method of cutting jobs across the board. There is no concrete information on where positions should be cut in terms of structure and tasks,” said a Volkswagen works council spokesperson to Reuters.
Volkswagen Trinity teaser
As recently reported, Peter Bosch, who most recently was the head of manufacturing at Bentley as well as a board member for VW’s North American nascent electric pickup and SUV brand Scout, has been appointed as Cariad’s CEO.
In addition to running Cariad, he’s also in charge of the division’s finance, purchasing and IT functions.
Earlier this year the Volkswagen Group said it recorded “solid full year results” for fiscal year 2022 despite the Cariad software unit suffering a €2.1 billion (~A$3.5 billion) loss.
Cariad was founded by Herbert Diess during his tenture as the carmaker’s CEO, to bring together and centralise all the Volkswagen Group’s software development activities.
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