this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2025
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The cuts represent about 10% of Bosch's total workforce in the country, and 3% of its staff worldwide. Workers' representatives vowed to resist the cuts, labelling them 'unprecedented.'

German industrial giant Bosch said Thursday, September 25, it would cut 13,000 jobs, mostly in its auto unit, in the latest blow for the country's ailing car sector.

The auto industry in Europe's biggest economy has been hammered by fierce competition in key market China, weak demand and a slower than expected shift to electric vehicles.

The cuts, all of which will take place in Germany, represent about 10% of Bosch's total workforce in the country, and 3% of its staff worldwide.

Bosch − the world's biggest auto supplier, making everything from braking and steering systems to sensors − said the layoffs were needed to help make annual savings of €2.5 billion in the group's car unit.

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[–] itztalal@lemmings.world 43 points 1 day ago (5 children)

China actually has electric cars with 300km range for under $20k.

We're not allowed to buy them in the West because it would show us all how much we're getting ripped off by our rulers.

We really are stupid and paying the price everyday.

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 36 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Those cars are 20k because the majority of chinese blue collar workers are treated like 19th century coal miners, with few labor laws or regulations to speak of.

We get cheap shit because of their suffering.

[–] itztalal@lemmings.world 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You're peddling talking points that exist to ensure you can't a better deal due to lack of competition and artificially inflated prices.

Have you ever had a banana? Guess why they're so cheap. We still get access to them and useful idiots like you don't complain because the banana market doesn't threaten the wealth of people richer than you can comprehend.

This is the problem, right here folks. Think tanks have been working overtime to make sure people like /u/whatamlemmy can feel justified in being cut off from more competitive markets.

[–] Chivera@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah and let's not even talk about all the clothes people buy that end up in landfills. Created by workers in horrible working conditions.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 1 points 14 hours ago

Yes, we should all be buying Hermes socks for $300.

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Don't people complain about the inhumane conditions and treatment of the laborers by banana companies all the time? lol

[–] itztalal@lemmings.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No, they don't.

They also don't block importing them to the US.

The working conditions for the average banana farmer is also significantly worse than the average Chinese car manufacturers.

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

>No, they don't

It's a topic that I've seen pop up countless number of times

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[–] itztalal@lemmings.world -3 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

I'm not going to sit here and debate with you what "all the time" is supposed to mean.

They also don’t block importing them to the US.

Conveniently ignored this part because you don't have a rebuttal.

The working conditions for the average banana farmer is also significantly worse than the average Chinese car manufacturers.

Also this one.

I'm going to ignore you now because you proved to me that you're an average idiot and not worth taking seriously. It's a shame people like you get to have more impact on the world, but that's why the world is the way it is.

Keep getting ripped off, and keep defending the people doing it. I don't expect more from you.

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 2 points 21 hours ago

I focused on the specific part where I thought you were wrong. People do talk about the suffering if the banana plantation workers and it's been talked for a long time. As far as products go, that's one where the shit conditions are actually brought up often.

[–] BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Same is true of almost everything you own, large groups of people stuck in poverty isn't an accident, it's on purpose and it's everywhere in this world sadly

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 1 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

so that's acceptable with, (checks notes), every other Chinese made product sold in NA and Europe but not EVs... no sir, we car aboot those EV workers a lot

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 18 points 1 day ago (3 children)

There's more to this than JUST that. Not that you're wrong of course.

China subsidizes heavily because they want to be the only relevant player in the global EV market. These cars would cost closer to their non-Chinese counterparts if China wasn't doing this.

In global economics, this is considered unfair, and is usually retaliated against via tariffs.

[–] A7thStone@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Why wouldn't we let them in too drain the Chinese economy then. We would "win" in the short term by getting vehicles with fewer emissions while siphoning money out of the Chinese economy. Later when they could no longer afford to offer the vehicles at such a low price another company would step in with a superior product. At least that's what I've been taught about how capitalism works. Was that all a lie?

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 1 points 16 hours ago

The Chinese government can afford to pay their manufacturers 10-20k euros per car indefinitely, there's no real limit to how much money they have. They'll continue until every western manufacturer is bankrupt.

Later when they could no longer afford to offer the vehicles at such a low price another company would step in with a superior product. At least that’s what I’ve been taught about how capitalism works. Was that all a lie?

I know you probably realize this, but no. It's not how capitalism works in the real world. In the real world, when you have products that cost billions to develop before production, it's nearly impossible for a new company to be competitive against a monopoly. And if the Chinese give away semi-free cars to everyone for a decade, everyone else goes bankrupt and they have a monopoly. OR other countries start sacrificing other budget items so they could subsidize their domestic car manufacturing and we just have... even more cars on the roads and less public transit, less walkable cities. Yay!

[–] nialv7@lemmy.world -2 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

It's a complex subject, right? From a consumer's perspective, you could have a cheaper car, but your government won't let you (by putting tariffs on them, or just straightout banning them) because China is not playing fair. As a consumer you are paying a price because of your ideology. I don't know if everyone will want to do that.

And on the other hand, from the Chinese government's perspective, they aren't going to care if you think they are fair, as long as things are working out for them. If subsidizing means better product and/or markat dominance, why won't they keep doing that? There are markets that are more ideologically aligned with them willing to take their products.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 4 points 14 hours ago

China actually has electric cars with 300km range for under $20k.

and some of them actually make it to 300kms.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/byd-seagull-front-right-suspension-arm-is-breaking-by-the-dozens-in-brazil-254141.html

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I need more range than 300km and I'd be all over this if it uses LifeP04 batteries. I work 48 hour shifts, but drive about 150km each direction. Which means during the winter if I wanted to round trip it I'd need a 400km range vehicle.

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hope you gain the ability to charge for those 48 hours, seems like it would open your options

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 16 hours ago

It would, but right now that's pretty much not possible.