Volkswagen began production again in its German plants on April 27, including at its plant in Zwickau. The east German town is where VW decided to launch assembly of its ID3 line of electric vehicles last November. Also due to get back to business is the engine plant in Chemnitz along with VW’s operations in Dresden, Wolfsburg, Emden and Hanover. May 3, meanwhile, is the date anticipated for the German giant’s return to manufacturing in the United States, where the coronavirus continues to move towards its peak in some locations, despite the best efforts of health officials. For its German staff, the company has developed a strict system of hygiene standards and has increased the frequency with which plants will be cleaned. But while the prospect for restarting production has lifted the mood slightly, people in the sector know that the time for counting the damage has begun. The car manufacturer Daimler has already warned that its first quarter profits for 2020 have probably dropped 78 percent to €617m.
