After its electrical automotive gross sales surged within the first three months of 2025, Volkswagen’s CEO mentioned the corporate is “shifting into the quick lane.” In Europe, Volkswagen expanded its lead after EV gross sales doubled. Regardless of the success, the auto large remains to be struggling in a single key market.
Volkswagen EV gross sales double in Europe within the first quarter
Volkswagen delivered 216,800 all-electric automobiles globally within the first quarter, up 59% from 136,400 final 12 months. The expansion bumped up Volkswagen’s world EV market share from 6% to 10%.
Robust development in Europe and the US helped offset fewer deliveries in China. In Europe, Volkswagen delivered over 150,000 EVs by means of the primary three months of 2025, greater than double (+113%) the quantity it handed over within the 12 months prior.
Volkswagen is the “clear BEV market chief in Europe” with round 26% of the market. As compared, Tesla’s gross sales had been down in each European market in Q1, besides the UK.
In Germany alone, nearly each second EV got here from a VW Group model. With new fashions just like the ID.7 Tourer and Audi Q6 e-tron, Volkswagen’s orders in Western Europe are again up round a million (980,000).
Volkswagen’s prime 5 best-selling EVs globally had been the ID.4 and ID.5 (43,700), ID.3 (28,100), Audi A4 e-tron (22,800), Škoda Enyaq (20,200), and ID.7 (19,100).
World BEV deliveries rise however slip in China
Within the US, VW Group EV gross sales had been up 51%. The VW ID.4 was one of many top-selling EVs within the first quarter, with 7,663 models offered. Its electrical minibus, the ID.Buzz is now rolling out, with 1,901 models offered in Q1.
Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume mentioned, “Now we’re shifting into the quick lane” with new fashions arriving. The corporate expects “extra tailwinds” from new mannequin launches in 2025.
Regardless of development in Europe and the US, Volkswagen remains to be struggling to maintain tempo with BYD and others in China. Volkswagen blamed an “intense aggressive state of affairs in China” after EV deliveries fell 37% to 25,900, down from 41,000 final 12 months.
After surpassing VW because the top-selling automotive model in China final 12 months, BYD’s spectacular gross sales run is heating up in 2025.
BYD offered 166,109 electrical automobiles final month alone. By means of the primary three months of 2025, the Chinese language EV large has offered 416,388 all-electric automobiles.
After chopping costs this month on a few of its top-selling fashions, BYD’s least expensive EV, the Seagull, now begins at below $8,000 (56,800 yuan).
With bold plans to increase abroad this 12 months, can Volkswagen and different world OEMs maintain tempo? S&P World Mobility forecasts that BYD’s gross sales in Europe will double in 2025 to round 186,000. By 2029, that quantity may attain 400,000 or extra.
Volkswagen is banking on its new reasonably priced EV lineup to assist it fend off BYD and different EV leaders over the following few years. The primary, VW’s ID.2, will launch subsequent 12 months beginning at round 25,000 euros ($27,500), adopted by an SUV model and an excellent cheaper ID.1 in 2027.
