35 years VW Polo in Zwickau: success story and new challenges!

35 years VW Polo in Zwickau: success story and new challenges!

Zwickau, Deutschland - The VW plant in Zwickau celebrates a remarkable anniversary: ​​35 years ago, the first polo ran off the assembly line-a model that significantly shaped the region's automotive history. The first VW Polo built in Zwickau was a steep rear with a 1.3-liter engine and 55 hp in bright alpine white, which is now considered a museum piece. Memories of the beginnings of the work in the Moselle district arouse nostalgic feelings among many employees. In addition to the polo, the popular Trabant models were also made here, which were known to many as "the GDR car" during their flowering.

Jörn Kaiser and Udo Friedrich, two old hands in the VW plant, looked back at the beginnings with melancholy. Before the turn, they worked at VEB Sachsenring and assembled the Trabis, among other things. "We wanted to be there at the beginning of Zwickau," says Udo. The steam between tradition and modern rethinking is clearly noticeable by the two. Jörn Musmigig: "The mood for some colleagues is not good, but there are orders." When producing electric vehicles, you stay optimistic.

The change in automotive production

Since 2020, the plant in Zwickau has changed the focus radically and now only produces fully electric vehicles, including models such as ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and even the Audi Q4 e-tron. This decision is part of the growing trend towards electromobility, which, according to the Center of Automotive Management (CAM), has reached a turning point. In 2020 there were around 360,000 new registrations of e-vehicles in Germany, and the market share of the electric vehicles rose over-dramatically to 12.6 percent.

The future of e-mobility looks promising, but there is a feeling of uncertainty. Jörn and Udo have witnessed how the production of conventional vehicles developed into electric vehicles. While the younger generation is enthusiastic about the new models, many older colleagues hold on the combustion vehicles. "There is a real generation change here," Udo describes the current situation.

challenges and optimism

The success of the Zwickau work is not only celebrated by the employees. The company's history is paved with heights and depths, and many employees remember the hard working conditions. In the past, night shifts were emptied, and some announced because of the short breaks and pressure. Nevertheless, numerous employees express that their heart was hung on this work: "It was always a good west car," an older colleague describes the passion that they put into their work.

In view of the current challenges in the automotive industry, which arise primarily from the VW crisis, the workforce remains optimistic: "The work will continue to exist in the future"-this conviction reflects the fighting spirit, which can be felt in the walls of the Zwickau plant. Despite all the uncertainties and the discussions about salaries and working conditions, the employees stand together and look with confidence in a changing industry.

Overall, the anniversary not only shows the successes of the VW plant in Zwickau, but also the necessary change in the automotive industry, which is promoted by e-mobility. The work therefore stands for tradition, but also for a future -oriented approach in a constantly changing world.

Read more about the anniversary celebrations and the details of the story on news38 and MDR as well as about e-mobility on ecomento .