VW Group sells fewer electric vehicles

At the start of 2023, the Group delivered 141,000 EVs, so a few thousand more than in Q1/2024 (136,400 units). As total deliveries rose slightly to 2.1 million vehicles, the share of electric vehicles fell from 6.9 to 6.5 per cent. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Group still sold 239,500 BEVs – three months later, sales are down by nearly 100,00 units.

The decline in BEV sales was particularly significant in Europe, where sales fell by 24 per cent. VW itself states that strong growth in China (+91 per cent) could not fully compensate for the decline in Europe. However, the German carmaker is optimistic: “However, incoming orders for BEVs in Western Europe developed positively from January to March. More than twice as many all-electric models were ordered as in the same period last year (+154 per cent), so that the BEV order bank currently stands at around 160,000 vehicles.”

Based on current sales of 74,400 BEVs in Europe in Q1, the order backlog would be sufficient for around two quarters. However, Volkswagen’s electric share is still low, as the Group delivered 906,700 vehicles across all drive types in Europe, which is more or less on par with the previous year.

USA: Higher EV share, fewer sales

In China, 41,000 EVs were handed over to customers. Although this is a pleasing result with 91 per cent growth, Volkswagen is not doing well there either, as EVs make up only 5.9 per cent of total sales.

In the US, EV sales are declining. With 13,200 EVs sold, the carmaker sold about 16 per cent fewer electric vehicles than in Q1/2023. As a total of 155,900 Group vehicles were delivered in the US, the EV share of 8.5 per cent is higher than in Europe or China – but the total number is significantly lower.

Looking at the brands, it is noticeable that Skoda and VW Commercial Vehicles, for example, made noticeable gains, while Audi only saw a slight increase of three per cent. The decline in the core brand is also manageable at -2.6 per cent. The numbers are much worse for Cupra and Porsche. However, the latter will premiere the Macan shortly, and the launch of the facelifted Taycan fell in the middle of the first quarter.

The most successful all-electric Group models worldwide in the first quarter of 2024 were:

In terms of models, the manufacturer refers to the upcoming premieres of model series such as the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer and the ID. Buzz with a long wheelbase, the Cupra Tavascan, the Audi Q6 e-tron and the Porsche Macan Electric.

“Our diversified product portfolio gives us the necessary flexibility to compensate for fluctuations in demand in certain segments – as is currently the case with all-electric vehicles – in others,” says Hildegard Wortmann, Member of the Group’s Extended Executive Committee for Sales. “The higher order intake for our all-electric models in Europe makes us confident that we will grow in this segment both in our home region and worldwide over the year as a whole. More than 30 model launches across all drive types this year will give us tailwind in the coming months.”

volkswagen-group.com