Growth in Electric Cars and SUVs Drives Success
Electric Car Sales Up 21%
Volkswagen sold 4.87 million vehicles worldwide last year, an increase of about 6.7% compared to the previous year. The growth was mainly driven by pure electric vehicles and SUVs.
On the 11th, Volkswagen announced these sales results for the past year. In particular, electric vehicle sales showed remarkable growth, with 294,000 units sold, a 21.1% increase compared to the previous year. Popular electric vehicles such as the 'ID.3' and 'ID.4' gained traction in key markets including China, Germany, and the United States.
Especially, the first pure electric SUV, the 'ID.4', saw its U.S. sales surge by 84.2% year-on-year to 38,000 units. Sales of the electric compact hatchback 'ID.3' grew by 200% and 62.9% in the Chinese and German markets, respectively.
Overall, the popularity of SUV models continues. Global SUV sales increased by 14.9% year-on-year, accounting for 54.2% of Volkswagen's total sales.
Specifically, in the U.S. market, SUVs such as the 'ID.4' and 'Tiguan' accounted for 81% of sales. The SUV trend was also strong in Europe. The 'T-Roc' set record sales in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and T?rkiye.
Volkswagen plans to accelerate growth by launching new models of popular vehicles. First, generation changes for models like the Passat and Tiguan will be delivered to customers in Europe and other regions starting from the first quarter of this year. Deliveries of the electric SUVs 'ID.4' and 'ID.5' will also begin this year. The estate version of the top-tier model 'ID.7', called the 'ID.7 Tourer', is scheduled to be unveiled within the year. A new pure electric compact SUV will also be introduced by 2026. Notably, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic 'Golf', and Volkswagen plans to release an even more evolved 8th generation Golf.
Imelda Labb?, Volkswagen's Sales, Marketing, and Aftersales Director, said, "The growth trend in 2023 means that Volkswagen's brand and product strategy are receiving positive feedback from customers. Although the automotive market environment is expected to remain challenging this year, Volkswagen will move in the right direction based on its attractive product portfolio."
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