VW will soon be recycling up to 15,000 cars per year in Zwickau

The car manufacturer Volkswagen plans to dismantle and recondition up to 15,000 vehicles a year at the Zwickau site from 2030. After being a pioneer in the Group in the switch to e-cars, the plant is now once again taking on a pioneering role, said VW Saxony boss Danny Auerswald. "We are now tapping into the important business area of the circular economy." According to the information provided, Volkswagen will invest up to 90 million euros and secure 1,000 jobs. The state of Saxony is funding the project with around 10.8 million euros.

What exactly is planned?

In future, vehicles are to be dismantled in Zwickau in order to reuse individual components for used cars, for example. Raw materials are also to be recovered. "This will make Volkswagen less dependent on the global trade in raw materials, reduce the CO2 footprint of vehicles and create new business models," explained Andreas Walingen, Head of Circular Economy.

The dismantling of vehicles is to be gradually ramped up in the coming years. This will require conversions and investments in new systems and AI applications, he said. The first 500 vehicles are to be dismantled this year and the number will increase step by step from 2027.

Plant has to hand over several models to other locations

Volkswagen is struggling with overcapacity at its German locations. As a result, car production in Zwickau will be reduced and several models will be transferred to other car factories in the coming years. In return, the site, which currently employs around 8,500 people, will be given the new circular economy business area at the end of 2024, according to an agreement.

Zwickau will now become the central competence center for this area within the Volkswagen Group, it said. New business areas in this sector are to be tested for their economic viability, standards defined and knowledge made available to other locations worldwide.