The job cuts will take place over the next 10 years as electric cars have fewer parts than their gas counterparts, said Karlheinz Blessing, Volkswagen Group chief human resources officer. 

While the emissions cheating scandal at Volkswagen is responsible for some of the cuts, it was not the main reason, Blessing said.

Volkswagen has struggled to repair its brand, reign in expenses and boost revenue after the scandal cost it over $20 billion, The New York Times reports. Top executives have been in discussions with labor leaders about the cuts, which could come more from retirement as opposed to layoffs, Reuters reports.

"We have the huge benefit of the baby boomer age groups," said Bernd Osterloh, VW labor head. "That's why we can also say the jobs of VW workers are safe."