Audi to close major European factory

German carmaker Audi has confirmed that it will have to close a major electric car factory in just a few months. Specifically, the factory in the capital Brussels (Belgium) will have to close from February 28, 2025. This could cause 3,000 job losses and raise concerns about the future of many iconic electric models, including the Q8 E-tron.

“The decision to close the Brussels plant is painful. It is probably the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my professional career,” said Audi production chief Gerd Walker.

Audi has not yet provided an official reason for this decision, but in fact, experts commented that the German car company has faced "long-term challenges" in Brussels Forest, where the factory is located.

The location is close to a bustling city center, making restructuring nearly impossible. The location also increases logistics costs such as warehousing and transportation compared to other factories across Europe.

Rising operating costs are a real problem for Audi as many sources say the German automaker has been running the plant at a loss for months now and Audi executives have been trying to sell the plant for a long time.

The Brussels Times raised concerns that the closure of this factory will cause more than 3,000 employees to lose their jobs, leading to many other consequences such as the supply chain, reactions of partners, subcontractors, etc.

The Brussels plant will be the main production site for the Q8 E-tron SUV, originally called the E-tron, from 2022 onwards. In 2023 alone, 53,555 Q8 E-trons, including the Sportback version, were produced at the plant. The Q8 E-tron is expected to remain Audi's flagship product for several more years.

The closure of the Brussels plant has cast a serious shadow over the future of Audi’s iconic flagship model, and it is not yet known which European plant will take over production of the Q8 E-tron.

The event comes after Audi unveiled a completely new logo for some of its latest electric cars. Accordingly, the four-ring symbol will be removed from the new Audi logo that has appeared since 1932, replaced by simple AUDI letters that are said to be aimed at young people.