Audi closes carbon-neutral plant in Brussels due to low demand
Audi announced the closure of the Brussels plant in February 2024 due to low demand for the Q8 E-Tron. The plant, capable of producing 120,000 cars per year, sold only 49,001 cars in 2023.
Audi is closing a factory in Brussels, known as the first carbon-neutral enterprise in the premium segment. The decision is due to low demand for Q8 E-Tron and Q8 E-Tron Sportback electric vehicles: only 49,001 cars were sold in 2023, despite the fact that the plant is designed to produce up to 120,000 cars per year.
The company employs more than 3,000 people. Audi tried to sell the factory, but there were no buyers. Gerd Walker, a member of the company's board of directors, called this decision "the most difficult in his career."
The closure of the plant calls into question Audi's plans for a full transition to electric vehicles by 2033. This step demonstrates the difficulty of adapting the market to electric mobility, especially in conditions of low demand.
The manufacturing crisis in Brussels could be a signal for the entire automotive industry, where demand for electric vehicles does not always meet manufacturers' expectations. Audi will have to rethink its strategy in a changing market.
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