Advertisement

Image: picture-alliance/imageBROKER/J. WestImage: picture-alliance/imageBROKER/J. West

Auto industry

For more than a hundred years, carmakers have boosted economic growth, giving workers good jobs and shareholders healthy profits. Now, the industry is under pressure to transform amid climate change.

Skip next section All Content on this topic

All Content on this topic

BYD battery factory in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil on March 12, 2024

BYD battery factory in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil on March 12, 2024

Brazil: Chinese workers found in 'slave-like' conditions

Brazilian prosecutors said workers building a factory for China's BYD in Bahia were subject to degrading conditions.

Japan, Tokio | Nissan-CEO Uchida und Honda-CEO Mibe bei gemeinsamer Pressekonferenz

Japan, Tokio | Nissan-CEO Uchida und Honda-CEO Mibe bei gemeinsamer Pressekonferenz

Japan's Honda and Nissan mull merger

Japanese auto giants Honda and Nissan are reportedly in talks to form the world's third-largest auto group.

Makoto Uchida, president and CEO of Nissan Motor, and Toshihiro Mibe, Honda Motor president and CEO, attend their joint press conference

Makoto Uchida, president and CEO of Nissan Motor, and Toshihiro Mibe, Honda Motor president and CEO, attend their joint press conference

Honda and Nissan launch negotiations for historic merger

Historic collaboration between rival Japanese car makers set to create the world's third-largest automaker by sales.

VW workers on strike in Chemnitz

VW workers on strike in Chemnitz

Volkswagen plant closures, layoffs averted, says union

The German automaker had floated plans to shut as many as three factories and carry out mass job cuts.

Nissan leader Makoto Uchida (left) and Honda President Toshihiro Mibe (right) at a joint press conference earlier this year

Nissan leader Makoto Uchida (left) and Honda President Toshihiro Mibe (right) at a joint press conference earlier this year

Nissan, Honda inch closer to possible merger

The two Japanese carmakers confirmed reports that they would be 'collaborating' more closely.

DW Rev Sendungslogo deutsch und englisch

DW Rev Sendungslogo deutsch und englisch

REV — The Auto & Mobility Show

Testing the Audi S e-tron GT. Promoting EV use in Brazil and Costa Rica. And drifting in Nigeria.

REV Audi S Etron GT

REV Audi S Etron GT

Is the Audi S e-tron GT worth its price?

The Audi S e-tron GT has plenty of power, good range and fast charging. But is it worth €126,000?

Striking Volkswagen workers dressed as characters from the popular Netflix show "Money Heist"

Striking Volkswagen workers dressed as characters from the popular Netflix show "Money Heist"

Volkswagen: 'Furious' union threatens strike 'escalation'

A fourth round of negotiations is underway with no agreement in sight as VW threatens job cuts and factory closures.

China | Wirtschaft | Internationales Containerterminal im Hafengebiet Taicang des Hafens Suzhou

China | Wirtschaft | Internationales Containerterminal im Hafengebiet Taicang des Hafens Suzhou

How Chinese overcapacity threatens emerging economies

Is China's massive trade surplus ushering in a new wave of tariffs, and a new era in global trade?

Volkswagen workers hold a sign that reads "warning strike, our good right" during a protest.

Volkswagen workers hold a sign that reads "warning strike, our good right" during a protest.

Germany: VW workers announce second strike as cuts loom

The IG Metall union said it would increase the pressure ahead of a fourth round of negotiations in the labor dispute.

A picture of a crowd of VW workers in front of a car factory

A picture of a crowd of VW workers in front of a car factory

Labor dispute at VW escalates amid worsening cost crisis

VW workers went on strike in support of higher wages. But management wants to lay off workers and close factories.

Striking Volkswagen workers

Striking Volkswagen workers

Volkswagen workers strike at factories across Germany

The labor union has promised "the toughest wage dispute Volkswagen has ever seen."

A strike at a Volkswagen plant in November

A strike at a Volkswagen plant in November

Germany: Volkswagen strikes called by trade union

Union IG Metall has said tools will be laid down at all Volkswagen factories in Germany as workers demand more pay.

Aerial photo of thousands of unsold new cars waiting at a distribution center in Essen, western Germany. November 29, 2024. The cars are of various makes, but include multiple recognizable Volkswagens.

Aerial photo of thousands of unsold new cars waiting at a distribution center in Essen, western Germany. November 29, 2024. The cars are of various makes, but include multiple recognizable Volkswagens.

Volkswagen rejects union proposal as strikes loom

Volkswagen has rejected a proposal from labor representatives that they said could avert layoffs and factory closures.

DW Planet A | Das verborgene Talent der Elektroautos

DW Planet A | Das verborgene Talent der Elektroautos

Unlocking the hidden potential of electric cars

Electric cars need charging, but renewables aren't always reliable. Surprisingly, EVs might be the solution.

Volkswagen-SAIC plant in Urumqi, China

Volkswagen-SAIC plant in Urumqi, China

Volkswagen to exit China's Xinjiang, sell factory

German car giant VW said that it would sell its factory and test track in Xinjiang for "economic reasons."

Workers in the production facility of the Leoni factory in Malososte near Nis, Serbia, producing automotive wiring

Workers in the production facility of the Leoni factory in Malososte near Nis, Serbia, producing automotive wiring

Are German carmakers exploiting Serbian workers?

Serbian workers experience hazardous working conditions despite a German supply-chain law meant to protect them.

REV | EX_Combustion

REV | EX_Combustion

Why carmakers are betting bit on gasoline

Carmakers are shifting back to internal combustion engines. What does it mean for the future?

A red light flashes near Volkswagen's factory in Osnabrück on November 6

A red light flashes near Volkswagen's factory in Osnabrück on November 6

Volkswagen stands by German factory closure plan

Volkswagen executive Schäfer said the firm must adjust to "new realities" as it intends to shut down German factories.

Germany: Bosch to cut 5,000 jobs with car industry in crisis

Bosch said some 3,800 of the layoffs are to be made in Germany with other major firms also looking to cut costs.

IG Metall members at warning strike in front of VW factory in Osnabrück, Germany

IG Metall members at warning strike in front of VW factory in Osnabrück, Germany

VW talks: German union demands deal before Christmas

Volkswagen has threatened plant closures and layoffs in a bid to reduce labor costs.

DW Rev Sendungslogo deutsch und englisch

DW Rev Sendungslogo deutsch und englisch

REV — The Auto & Mobility Show

Testing the Lamborghini Revuelto. Buying supercars in Dubai. And making e-tractors for farms.

REV E Traktoren

REV E Traktoren

Pioneering e-tractors for farms

Tadus, company in Bavaria, has started making quiet, clean, efficient e-tractors for farms.

REV Check Lamborghini Revuelto

REV Check Lamborghini Revuelto

Testing the Lamborghini Revuelto

Is the Lamborghini Revuelto worth its price of over €500,000? REV puts it to the test to find out.

The Ford factory in Cologne, Germany

The Ford factory in Cologne, Germany

Ford looking to cut thousands of jobs in Europe

Most of the jobs Ford intends to cut will be in Germany with some 2,900 layoffs expected amid a slump in sales.

A Volkswagen ID.7

A Volkswagen ID.7

VW workers offer pay cut, threaten strike over crisis

German auto giant Volkswagen has said it aims to cut billions from its budget amidst a financial crisis at the company.

Brasilien Sao Paulo | Elektronische Busse

Brasilien Sao Paulo | Elektronische Busse

How Brazil and Costa Rica aim to boost EV use

Brazil and Costa Rica are trying to lower their carbon footprints with new laws that aim to remove barriers to EV use.

VW electric vehicle production line at the Zwickau factory

VW electric vehicle production line at the Zwickau factory

Germany's VW and Rivian launch joint electric car venture

The German automotive giant is investing billions to develop EVs in a joint venture with US electric carmaker Rivian.

DW Rev Sendungslogo deutsch und englisch

DW Rev Sendungslogo deutsch und englisch

REV — The Auto & Mobility Show

Testing the Audi RS 6 GT. Getting a license in Germany. And driving alone from London to Lagos.

DW Sendung REV.olution | CH Audi RS 6

DW Sendung REV.olution | CH Audi RS 6

Testing the Audi RS 6 GT

Is the new Audi RS 6 GT worth its price of €220,000? REV puts it to the test to find out.

DW Screenshot I Supercar Blondie

DW Screenshot I Supercar Blondie

How 'Supercar Blondie' became an auto industry influencer

Alexandra Hirschi, an Australian influencer based in Dubai, has shaken up the male-dominated luxury car scene.

Rows of covered cars waiting at Germany's Emden port

Rows of covered cars waiting at Germany's Emden port

Trump tariffs: Does EU have to fear trade war with US?

The reelection of Donald Trump is forcing European businesses to confront the possibility of big tariffs or a trade war.

A black-and-white historical image of a VW Beetle in a showroom, surrounded by a massive crowd of people, with a sign reading "1 million" hanging above it

A black-and-white historical image of a VW Beetle in a showroom, surrounded by a massive crowd of people, with a sign reading "1 million" hanging above it

Germany's Volkswagen crisis: an ode to nostalgia

German car manufacturer and long-time economic powerhouse Volkswagen has shaped the lives and memories of generations.

A man works on the production line in a car factory

A man works on the production line in a car factory

What Trump's tariffs mean for Germany's struggling industry

German businesses are bracing for the impact punitive tariffs from the US could have on their bottom lines.

Unsold cars in China

Unsold cars in China

VW seeks a way out of its crisis

VW in crisis. Does it just need to cut costs, or a change in strategy?

Why is Volkswagen so important for Germany?

VW's long history isn't enough to help it out of crisis. It will need to reinvent what it does to make the jump to EVs.

A man straddles an e-bike on a crowded road in Kampala

A man straddles an e-bike on a crowded road in Kampala

How is Uganda switching to e-mobility?

Ugandans are increasingly turning to electric vehicles to tackle air pollution, especially in cities like Kampala.

German midfielder Jamal Musiala warms up with the ball at his feet in Groupama Stadium in Lyon, France

German midfielder Jamal Musiala warms up with the ball at his feet in Groupama Stadium in Lyon, France

How the VW crisis threatens German football sponsorships

Volkswagen's slump in profits and labor crisis could lead the German automaker to reconsider its football sponsorships.

Solid-state battery components

Solid-state battery components

Solid-state batteries made in Germany

A German start-up wants to beat the Chinese competition with a solid-state battery suitable for mass production.

Porsche cars in front of a German company headquarter building

Porsche cars in front of a German company headquarter building

Are Germany's subsidized company cars hurting EV adoption?

Germany spends billions of euros to subsidize company cars with combustion engines, slowing the electric mobility shift.

Multiple container ships are docked at Container Terminal Altenwerder at Hamburg Port

Multiple container ships are docked at Container Terminal Altenwerder at Hamburg Port

No recession, but little relief, for German economy

It seems like nothing but bad news these days for the German economy. Does new economic data offer some good news?

A VW employee presenting the company's ID.3 electric model

A VW employee presenting the company's ID.3 electric model

Can VW's bet on Brazil help as sales in Germany, China fall?

Volkswagen is facing a crisis in its key European and Asian markets, but business in Brazil is on the upswing — for now.

The entrance of the VW plant in Chemnitz showing a banner with a car, the outlines of people and a pulse curve.

The entrance of the VW plant in Chemnitz showing a banner with a car, the outlines of people and a pulse curve.

How the VW crisis is a failure of Germany's car policy

Europe's biggest carmaker is in the midst of a severe sales and cost crisis. Is this actually just a sign of the times?

A person walks across the parking lot at the Volkswagen automobile plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., Friday, April 19, 2024. Workers at the plant finish voting Friday night on whether to join the United Auto Workers union.

A person walks across the parking lot at the Volkswagen automobile plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., Friday, April 19, 2024. Workers at the plant finish voting Friday night on whether to join the United Auto Workers union.

Volkswagen in crisis: Why is the German carmaker struggling?

Germany's labor union, IG Metall, is firm in negotiations over a 7% wage increase with the country's largest carmaker.

Members of the IG Metall metalworkers union demonstrate

Members of the IG Metall metalworkers union demonstrate

Volkswagen and workers clash over layoffs as profits plummet

Europe's biggest car manufacturer has reported a 64% profit slump and is now seeking to cut costs.

Chinese visitors view MG 6 and Roewe RX8 hybrid cars of SAIC Motor on display in Shanghai, China, 19 September 2018.

Chinese visitors view MG 6 and Roewe RX8 hybrid cars of SAIC Motor on display in Shanghai, China, 19 September 2018.

China decries new EU tariffs on its electric vehicles

The EU increased tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles to as much as 45.3%.

REV Volvo EX30 Check

REV Volvo EX30 Check

The electric Volvo EX30

Volvo's EX30 has plenty of features and a reasonable price tag. Is it the best value-for-money EV?

A group of VW workers demonstrating on September 25, 2024 in Hanover, northern Germany

A group of VW workers demonstrating on September 25, 2024 in Hanover, northern Germany

Volkswagen to scrap three plants and thousands of jobs

VW workers are demanding higher wages and job security, but management has announced a deeper-than-expected overhaul.

Porsche employees take part in a warning strike in front of the Porsche plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany

Porsche employees take part in a warning strike in front of the Porsche plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany

Germany metalworkers launch strikes over pay

Warning strikes have begun in Germany's metal and electrical industries as collective bargaining continues.

A Volkswagen flag in front of a dark gray cloudy sky.

A Volkswagen flag in front of a dark gray cloudy sky.

German automaker Volkswagen faces unprecedented crisis

Anger and concern among VW workers rise as potential layoffs and plant closures threaten their livelihoods.