VOLKSWAGEN has announced the restarting of vehicle production in Europe.
It is opening its plants at Zwickau (Germany) and Bratislava (Slovakia) first.
The brand new all-electric ID.3 is made at the Zwickau plant, while at Bratislava the group’s range of large SUVs – VW Touareg, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne – along with its city range of cars (VW Up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii) is built.
Volkswagen said that production would be resumed from 20 April in line with the current availability of parts, government requirements and plant operation functionality. It said that stringent health protection measures for employees was the top priority.
Board member Andreas Tostmann added:
“The health of our employees has the highest priority. We are providing safe workplaces and the maximum possible level of health protection with a 100-point plan. In full awareness of our responsibility, we are ensuring that the economy regains momentum and cars once again leave the plants and reach our dealers and customers.”
Volkswagen’s German plant at Wolfsburg, where the new Golf is made, will open from 27 April.
The commercial divisions in Germany (Hannover) and Poznań and Września (Poland) were also looking to restart production from 27 April.
Other European manufacturers restarting production include Renault, Hyundai, Toyota and Volvo.
Ralph Morton is the leading journalist in the leasing broker sector and editor of Broker News, the website which provides information and news for BVRLA-registered leasing brokers. He also writes extensively on the fleet and leasing market in both the UK and Europe.
