Volkswagen addresses workers’ concerns about the transition to electromobility with an escape game

Automakers’ shift to electric cars from conventional cars may be linked to employee fears about the future, as shown by planned layoffs at Ford. Volkswagen dispels their fears with education, using an escape game.

This method has already proven itself in the factories in Emden and Leipzig, which work on electric cars. So Volkswagen wants to introduce something similar in Wolfsburg, its home plant. 22,000 people are supposed to be trained through the game.

“We can only switch to e-mobility together with our colleagues. Enthusiasm, inspiration and training are key to joint success,” said Gerardo Scarpino, Deputy Chairman of the General Works Council.

The game takes the form of a trio of escape rooms in which people must search for the key to advance to the next level and finally out. The concept is called eMotionRoom, and it takes a team of four about 20 minutes to solve a puzzle in each of its rooms.

The first room presents the history of electric cars up to the 19th century, when the idea of ​​driving on electricity was born. The second will show the history of the factory in Wolfsburg and the third is dedicated to the future of electric mobility. Students from the Volkswagen Group Academy collaborated on the development.

“Wolfsburg is special in that cars with a conventional drive will be produced here for years to come,” says Christian Vollmer, board member for production and logistics. Electric cars will be produced here in parallel with conventional cars, the first will be the ID.3 model, which will be produced here starting this fall.

“This assembly line will be the first in our passenger car factories in Germany to produce cars on the MEB platform as well as conventional cars,” says plant manager Rainer Fessel, adding that in the future, cars standing on the SSP platform will also be worked here .