A spokesperson from the Volkswagen Group, the parent company of Audi, says a potential investor from the commercial vehicle sector has withdrawn its expression of interest. The focus now shifts towards the laying off of the workers.

Last month, Audi COO Gerd Walker said that none of the 26 parties and potential investors that had expressed interest in the site had offered a “viable and sustainable concept” for the future of the factory.

Volkswagen Group could also lose plants in Germany as part of a cost-cutting program due to low demand for its higher-end electric cars.

VW’s huge production overcapacity at its German sites have forced its namesake brand to weigh German factory closures for the first time in its 87-year history, and to remove three decades of job security agreements with employees. In addition, rivals such as Tesla and BYD have pushed Europe’s largest carmaker into one of its most intense cost-cutting programs in years.

The Audi Brussels plant currently makes the Audi Q8 e-tron SUV, but it will cease production at the end of February.

Audi is restructuring several divisions to speed up decision-making and launch new models more quickly. It’s also pushing ahead with plans to participate in Formula 1 starting in 2026.