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Volkswagen Crisis Timeline 2015-2026: Why Europe's Car Giant Is Restructuring Again

Volkswagen survived Dieselgate, but a decade later it faces a different test: not one scandal but five pressures at once - China, the EV transition, software,…

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DIESELGATE

Dieselgate explodes: the EPA notice of violation

On 18 September 2015 US regulators disclosed that Volkswagen used defeat-device software in diesel engines - about 482,000 US vehicles, roughly 11 million worldwide. CEO…

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SETTLEMENT + RESET

Billions in settlements; the strategic pivot to EVs

A June 2016 US settlement valued around 14.7 billion dollars was followed by a 2017 DOJ plea. Diesel was discredited as the bridge technology; capital and attention shif…

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ID.3 AT ZWICKAU

Mass EV production begins at the converted Zwickau plant

Volkswagen converted its Zwickau plant, at a cost above 1.2 billion euros, into a dedicated EV factory and began building the ID.3 on the MEB platform - the physical pro…

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CARIAD CRISIS

Software becomes the self-inflicted wound

CARIAD, founded in 2020 to build one software stack for the whole Group, fell behind. Delays were linked to postponed Audi and Porsche models. Management was replaced in…

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CHINA FLIPS

Chinese EV competition turns the growth engine into the hardest market

Domestic Chinese brands scaled fast in EVs, batteries, software and price. Volkswagen - defending territory it spent forty years building - saw its China volumes and sha…

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ZUKUNFT VOLKSWAGEN

The deal meant to stabilise the company

After more than 70 hours of talks and warning strikes, Volkswagen, IG Metall and the works council agreed to more than 35,000 VW-brand German job reductions by 2030 - no…

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2025 RESULTS

Margin collapses to 2.8%; ~50,000 Group-Germany jobs to go by 2030

Volkswagen Group reported 2025 revenue of 321.9 billion euros and an operating result of 8.9 billion euros - a 2.8% margin, down about 53% year on year. CEO Blume's shar…

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H1 2026

Revenue flat, profit down again - and management wants more

H1 2026 revenue was 158.1 billion euros (roughly flat), operating result 5.9 billion euros (down about 12%), margin 3.8%. Tariffs and China were named drags. Management…

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DECISION HUB

The Supervisory Board takes up the deeper overhaul

Volkswagen's 20-member Supervisory Board is scheduled to weigh three competing restructuring options - some including plant closures and business carve-outs, with furthe…

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