Volkswagen Group's Global Sales Surge by 12.8% in the First Half of the Year, Pure Electric Vehicle Sales Soar by 48%
In 2022, Volkswagen Group faced a challenging year with deliveries hitting a new low in 11 years due to supply constraints and production pauses. In the first half of 2022, the group's global deliveries plummeted by 22% compared to the previous year. However, in the second half, the supply situation slightly improved, leading to a 12% year-on-year increase in global sales.
In the first half of 2023, benefiting from further improvements in the supply situation and other factors, Volkswagen Group witnessed a 12.8% year-on-year growth in global deliveries, reaching 4.3722 million vehicles. From a market perspective, except for the Chinese market, Volkswagen Group achieved sales growth in all other global markets during the first half of this year.
Volkswagen Group's Global Sales Surge by 12.8% In China, Volkswagen Group delivered 1.4519 million vehicles in the first half of this year, experiencing a slight decline of 1.2% compared to the previous year. After a challenging start in the first two months of this year, the group's deliveries from March to May saw a significant year-on-year increase. However, in June, deliveries in China experienced a slight downturn due to factors such as the reduction of purchase tax exemptions for fuel vehicles and local government subsidies, which had boosted sales in the same period last year.
In the first half of 2023, Volkswagen Group's market share in the Chinese fuel vehicle market increased from 18% to 20%, further solidifying its leading position in this segment. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, stated, "Based on our 'In China, For China' strategy, we have developed robust plans for the next innovative leap. We are focused on long-term profitability and sustainable business models, without compromising for short-term success."
In the European market, Volkswagen Group delivered 1.6435 million vehicles in Western Europe, representing a growth of 26.9% compared to the previous year. In Central and Eastern Europe, deliveries reached 253,400 vehicles, an increase of 11.6%. In the North American and South American markets, the group's deliveries were 458,700 and 221,300 vehicles, respectively, with year-on-year growth rates of 14.2% and 14.5%.
Volkswagen Group's Global Sales Surge by 12.8% Looking at the brands under the Volkswagen Group, in the first half of this year, Volkswagen Passenger Cars achieved a 7.2% year-on-year sales growth globally, mainly driven by a 13.1% growth in the second quarter. SEAT/CUPRA and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles experienced significant increases of 28% and 29%, respectively. Audi's sales grew by 15.5%, while Porsche saw a 14.7% increase. Lamborghini/Bentley sales slightly declined by 0.4%, only 100 units less than the same period last year.
It is worth mentioning that Gernot Doellner, Volkswagen Group's strategic executive, will take over as CEO of Audi, replacing Markus Duesmann, effective from September 1st. Insider sources revealed that the top management of Volkswagen Group was dissatisfied with Audi's performance, leading to a change in leadership. With the new leadership in place, Audi's sales performance in the second half of this year may further improve.