Volkswagen pushes electric compact car sales while planning up to 100,000 job cuts

Volkswagen plans to sell 300,000 electric compact models such as the ID Polo, Cupra Raval, Skoda Epiq and later the ID Cross in its first full year, aiming for roughly 382,000 EVs across the group in 2025 and over 900,000 units across all brands. The strategy comes as the European auto market has slumped, prompting the company to consider closing up to four plants and cutting as many as 100,000 jobs in the coming years. VW also faces weak electric‑vehicle sales in China and tariff challenges for its Audi brand in the United States, limiting the impact of its small‑car push.

Separately, Ohme has introduced its Home Pro smart wallbox in Germany. The charger connects directly to the energy market, automatically selecting the greenest and cheapest electricity windows for charging, especially when renewable generation is high. Users can set a desired charge‑by time, and the system shifts charging to those periods, delivering up to 30 % lower electricity costs and a reduced CO₂ footprint, particularly when paired with on‑site solar generation.