Audi site Neckarsulm facing closure in 2034 according to media report

Background: Competition and the electric transformation

In the report, Blume is quoted as saying that a site in Neckarsulm is „genauso wichtig wie ein Standort in Zwickau, wie ein Standort in Hannover, wie ein Standort in Emden“. This statement is made in the context of his remark that there is currently no viable perspective for any of these four sites for the coming decade. The quoted order is as given in the original text of the report.

State politicians are responding with concern to the reports. The state of Lower Saxony, where the Emden and Hanover sites are located, has a direct interest in their continued existence. IG Metall, the largest union representing the automotive industry, is also closely following the discussion. It is demanding binding commitments on employment, sites, and investments and points to existing collective bargaining agreements on job security.

Reactions from politics and unions

According to industry experts, the background to the crisis is intensified competition with Chinese manufacturers, who are pushing aggressively priced products onto the European market, particularly in the electric vehicle segment. Added to this are weakening demand in Europe, high energy costs, and the pressure to adjust production capacity to declining combustion-engine volumes. The Group is currently negotiating possible new models that could be produced at the affected sites.

Which models could roll off the production line in Neckarsulm in the future remains unclear, according to the report. The report does not explicitly rule out a definitive closure either; the wording „Produktionsende 2034“ is used by the media report itself. In earlier statements, Group CEO Blume had emphasized that decisions about the future of individual sites would only be made after the ongoing negotiations had been concluded.

What remains unclear so far

The employees' side is preparing for tough negotiations. In a statement, IG Metall said it would push to preserve all sites. Politicians in Baden-Württemberg, where Neckarsulm is located, have also signaled willingness to engage in talks with the Group. A formal resolution on the end of production in Neckarsulm in 2034 has not yet been adopted, according to the report.

Regardless, the news has sent ripples through the industry because it increases pressure on the entire southern German industrial base. Suppliers in the region expect impacts on their order books. Municipalities are examining which economic policy instruments could be applied if a production end does indeed come. Industry observers expect the final decision to be made only after further rounds of negotiations.