VW deliveries fell 4%
Volkswagen’s global deliveries dropped 4% in Q1, a fall Reuters links to weaker demand in both China and the U.S. during the quarter. (reuters.com) Bloomberg coverage in the same briefing says the slump reflects intensifying competition from local Chinese brands. (bloomberg.com)
Volkswagen delivered 2.02 million vehicles worldwide in the first quarter of 2026, down 4% from 2.13 million a year earlier. (volkswagen-group.com) The sharpest regional drops came in China, where deliveries fell 15%, and North America, where they fell 13%, according to Volkswagen’s April 13 statement. Reuters reported the weaker demand hit both markets during the January-to-March quarter. (volkswagen-group.com) (usnews.com) Bloomberg said the China slide reflects tougher competition from domestic carmakers, a pressure point that has been building for German brands across the market. Volkswagen also pointed to a declining overall Chinese market and tariffs in the United States. (bloomberg.com) (volkswagen-group.com) That matters because China has long been Volkswagen’s biggest market, and the company is trying to defend share there while also managing trade pressure in the United States. In its statement, sales chief Marco Schubert said the global auto market declined overall through the end of March. (volkswagen-group.com) The weakness was not uniform. Volkswagen said growth in South America rose 7%, Western Europe rose 4%, and Central and Eastern Europe rose 8%, partly offsetting the declines in China and North America. (volkswagen-group.com) Electric vehicle deliveries were also softer worldwide. Volkswagen said battery-electric vehicle deliveries fell 8% to 196,681 in the quarter, including a 64% drop in China and an 80% drop in the United States after subsidy changes in China and tariffs in the United States. (volkswagen-group.com) Even so, Volkswagen said its order bank in Europe was 15% higher than at the end of 2025, with total order intake up 3% and battery-electric order intake up 4%. The company said new models including the Volkswagen T-Roc, Cupra Terramar, Skoda Elroq, Audi Q3 and Porsche Cayenne Electric helped lift demand. (volkswagen-group.com) Volkswagen is betting the next few quarters look better than the first. Schubert said the group expects momentum from its Electric Urban Car Family in Europe and from new locally developed electric models in China. (volkswagen-group.com)
