The company plans to restructure its production network and move Q8 E-Tron production to Mexico and China

The Last Car News.​Auto WeeklyAudi plans to restructure its global production network to reduce excess capacity, a move that could threaten its Brussels plant.The company is considering moving production of the Q8 E-Tron all-electric SUV, currently produced at its Belgium plant, to Mexico and China.The restructuring could leave the Brussels plant without cars. Originally, Audi planned to use the factory for GermanZwickau(Zickau) plant Q4 E-Tron, but this plan was not implemented due to weak demand for electric vehicles.

Workers at the Brussels plant staged a brief walkout in October, mainly over concerns about the future of the plant.Audi will shift production of the Q8 E-tron to Volkswagen’s plant in Puebla, Mexico, which has extra capacity, as part of a production restructuring planned by Audi’s new CEO Gernot Dllner. Audi’s own plant in San Jose Chiapa is operating at full capacity, producing just under 180 thousand Q5s and Q5Sportbacks last year.Audi is also likely to build the Q8 E-tron at its underutilized Changchun plant, according to sources.Audi said in a statement, “In close cooperation with the Volkswagen Group, we are constantly striving to achieve optimal plant occupancy in our global production network. A follow-up mission to the Brussels plant is currently under discussion.”