How much longer will the ID.3 continue to be built in Zwickau?

Production of the ID.3 electric vehicle at the VW plant in Zwickau will come to an end—but according to statements from the works council and the company, exactly when remains less clear than before. Until now, it had been reported that production of the ID.3 would be relocated to the main plant in Wolfsburg starting in the summer of 2027. But now the automaker has halted a modernization project there—a move that could have repercussions as far as Saxony. 

Jürgen Mahnkopf, vice chairman of the Group Works Council, said Tuesday at an auto conference that, with the exception of the GTI variant, the ID.3 would be built exclusively in Zwickau through 2027. In contrast, plant spokesperson Christian Sommer stated on Wednesday: “We cannot confirm that the ID.3 will remain in Zwickau permanently.” Volkswagen is acting in accordance with a site agreement concluded in 2024. This agreement provides for a relocation “in the course of 2027.” 

Modernization project in Wolfsburg halted

A prerequisite for building the ID.3 in Wolfsburg is the relocation of the Golf, which is currently manufactured there, to Mexico. However, Group Works Council Chair Daniela Cavallo cast doubt on this on Wednesday after the company canceled a major project to modernize production at the main plant. “As long as we don’t have transparency regarding the details, the gasoline-powered Golf won’t be leaving Wolfsburg either,” said Cavallo. She sharply criticized the cancellation of the production project in Wolfsburg, which had been dubbed a “game-changer.”

Following the ID.3’s departure from Zwickau, one assembly line at the plant will be shut down. The remaining production line will then be used exclusively to build the Cupra Born, Audi Q4 e-tron, and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback models. 

The VW plant in Zwickau is fully focused on electric cars. However, the future of the site is unclear because, according to the company, there is currently no competitive production plan for the plant in the 2030s. Currently, around 8,000 people work at the site.