Coronavirus: How it’s impacting the car world
From factory closures to motorsport cancellations, here’s how the spread of Covid-19 is affecting the industry
The rapid global spread of the coronavirus is having a major impact on all aspects of society, including the car industry.
Production facilities are being closed around the world, the dramatic stock market falls has hit the value of virtually every car firm, vehicle sales are dropping dramatically and most major motorsport events have been cancelled.
This is Autocar’s round-up of how the car world is being impacted, which will be updated regularly with information and links to more in-depth stories.
*Tuesday 17 March*
*● The Volkswagen Group* is shutting down most of its factories in Europe, with boss Herbert Diess saying that it's “almost impossible” to forecast the company's 2020 financial performance. Full story here.
● The *Tesla* factory in Fremont, California, US is remaining open, despite a "shelter in place" lockdown being issued for the area in which it's located. The plant, where the Model 3 is produced, has been deemed an essential business by Alameda County.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Tesla boss Elon Musk has emailed the plant's 10,000 workers saying they can stay at home if they feel unwell or uncomfortable.
● The *Goodwood Members' Meeting*, which was due to take place at the Sussex race circuit this weekend, has been postponed due to UK government restrictions on public gatherings. Organisers say they're “exploring a range of alternative dates” for the event and will continue planning for July’s Festival of Speed and September’s Revival meeting “in the hope that both events will be able to go ahead as planned”.
*Monday 16 March*
● The *UK government* is in talks with major automotive manufacturers, including Ford and Honda, about producing ventilators for the NHS in their UK production facilities. Full story here.
The idea has precedent: in China, the car industry is already helping to battle the spread of coronavirus. Chinese car maker BYD has created production lines at its Shenzen facility to produce face-masks and disinfectants. It says that it's producing 300,000 bottls of disinfectant and five million masks per day, making it the world's largest producer of the latter product.
● The *PSA Group* will stage phased closures of all of its factories across Europe, including the Vauxhall plants at Ellesmere Port and Luton. Full story here.
● *Ford* has closed its factory in Valencia, Spain after three worked tested positive for Covid-19. The site was due to shut for from Wednesday to Friday anyway.
In a statement, Ford said: “We have had three positive cases for Covid-19 on the Valencia site in a 24-hour period, two of which involved more isolated workers that did not enter the assembly operations. We are taking quick action to follow the established protocol, including the identification and self-isolation of all employees who had close contact with the affected workers. We will take all other appropriate steps to ensure that risk from this situation is minimised.”
*Sunday 15 March*
● *Fiat Chrysler Automobiles* is closing the majority of its European plans until 27 March, including six in Italy and those in Serbia and Poland. *Ferrari* will also close its Maranello factory, while Italian brake manufacturer *Brembo* is also shutting down. Full story here.
● The *World Rally Championship* event in Mexico was halted early so that the competing teams would have extra time to get home, given the increase in travel restrictions. The next event, Rally Argentina, has been postponed.
*The impact so far*
The 2020 Geneva motor show scheduled for early March was cancelled after the rapid outbreak of the coronavirus in Northern Italy. The New York and Beijing motor shows, both scheduled for April, have been postponed.
The Australian Grand Prix was cancelled hours before first practice was due to begin, following the withdrawal of the McLaren team after one of its staff tested positive for Covid-19. The subsequent Bahrain, Vietnam and Chinese grands prix have also been cancelled or postponed. *Formula 1* bosses are now looking to start the season in late May or June.
*READ MORE*
*PSA Group closes European factories to prevent coronavirus spread *
*Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari close factories amid coronavirus outbreak *
*Volkswagen braces for “very difficult year” as pandemic shuts factories*