Last summer, Audi said it would stop making Q8 e-trons earlier than planned. The company pointed to fewer people wanting these cars and long-standing problems at the plant. The factory's city center location makes it hard to change the layout, and it costs a lot to move parts in and out.
Audi's Chief Operating Officer, Gerd Walker, said they looked at 26 possible buyers. But none of them had a plan that would keep the plant running for long. The Volkswagen Group, which owns Audi, decided not to make another car there or use the plant for something else.
This sounds like it could be the final nail in the plant's coffin. AutoNews Europe quoted a union negotiator as saying that around 3,000 jobs could be lost, as "the only thing they want to do is close the plant as quickly as possible".
We don't know how much Audi wants for the plant or when it might close. Some thought new tariffs on Chinese electric cars might make companies want to build in Belgium. But when people said the Chinese carmaker Nio might be interested, Nio's CEO called it a groundless rumor.
The Brussels plant currently makes two models: the Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron. With no buyer in sight and Audi planning to end production, the future looks grim for the factory and its workers.
Source: Automotive News Europe