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Agency Report –
Ailing German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) sold fewer of its own-brand cars in 2024 than in the previous year, according to a statement published on Thursday.
Global deliveries reportedly fell by 1.4% to around 4.8 million vehicles, the company said, with sales declining in particular in China, VW’s most important market.
“2024 was a difficult year worldwide, with a weak economy, political challenges and strong competition, particularly in China,” VW sales chief Martin Sander said.
Almost 2.2 million VW vehicles were delivered to China in 2024, 8.3% fewer than in the previous year, the statement said.
In Europe, meanwhile, sales fell by 1.7% to 1.25 million vehicles.
“We are nevertheless starting the new year with optimism,” Sander said.
Deliveries of VW vehicles increased by 18% in North America and 21% in South America in 2024.
The company said the best-selling model worldwide was once again the Tiguan SUV, followed by the T-Roc. Demand for SUVs was high overall, amounting to 47% of total deliveries, up 1.4% from the previous year, according to VW’s statement.
By contrast, the company recorded a decline in electric vehicle sales, with 383,000 ID models delivered last year, compared to 394,000 the previous year.
VW said a total of around 1.35 million ID models have been sold since the ID family went into production at the end of 2019.
Shortly before Christmas, VW’s management and trade union agreed on a restructuring programme after a long struggle.
The plan envisages cutting 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 without compulsory redundancies and reducing the technical capacity of German plants by over 700,000 vehicles.
