Volkswagen CEO says transformation is 'shared responsibility' in appeal to EU
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume called the automaker’s transformation a “shared responsibility” and urged EU policymakers to establish supportive conditions. The company is showcasing affordable electric vehicles in Paris as it restructures and faces competition from Chinese automakers.
1. Appeal to EU policymakers
Blume said European policymakers must create the framework needed to make Volkswagen’s restructuring a success. He described it as “the biggest transformation programme in our history” and said businesses must become more competitive while policymakers establish the right conditions.
2. EVs and competition
Volkswagen is showcasing affordable electric vehicles across its VW, Cupra and Skoda brands at the Paris motor show and will premiere its ID. Tiguan electric SUV. Blume backed proposed “Made in Europe” rules and welcomed an EU-China deal that could cut Chinese plug-in hybrid imports to the bloc by more than half.
3. Restructuring pressures
Volkswagen is implementing job cuts and has threatened to close up to four plants in Germany. The company has held roughly a quarter of Europe’s car market over the last decade, while analyst Gregor Williams warned that if China exports its price war, the European market “could become very unprofitable.”
