Volkswagen Group Set A New Global BEV Sales Record In Q4 And In 2023

The Volkswagen Group (which includes Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Seat, Cupra, and more) reports 2,524,100 global vehicle sales during the fourth quarter of 2023 (up 14.4% year-over-year). The total volume in 2023 amounted to 9,239,500 (up 11.8% year-over-year), close to the 2020 level (9.3 million).

In terms of battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales, the company improved its results, achieving a record quarter and year, although not without challenges.

In Q4, Volkswagen Group’s all-electric vehicle sales amounted to about 239,500 (up 16% year-over-year). That’s the highest quarterly result ever, but the relatively low growth rate indicates that it wasn’t easy (the Volkswagen brand barely increased its BEV sales in Q4).

BEVs accounted for 9.5% of the total volume, which is the new highest level, although only slightly better than a year ago (9.3%).

Volkswagen Group BEV sales in Q4’2023 (YOY change):

• Total: 239,500 (up 16%) and 9.5% share

In 2023, the group sold more than 771,000 all-electric vehicles around the world—35% more than in 2022, achieving a new record BEV share of 8.3%.

Volkswagen Group BEV sales in Q1-Q4’2023 (YOY change):

• Total: 771,100 (up 35%) and 8.3% share

For reference, in 2022, Volkswagen Group sold about 572,100 all-electric vehicles (up 26% year-over-year), which at the time was 6.9% of the total volume.

While the Volkswagen Group’s all-electric vehicle sales increase, the volume is lower than initially anticipated. The German manufacturer was not able to keep up with Tesla and BYD’s growth rate.

Nonetheless, Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group said: “We are pleased with the market success of our strong brands and models. It is positive that all major brands and all regions are growing. We are resolutely driving forward the transformation. In 2023, we delivered 35 percent more all-electric vehicles to customers. We are also well positioned this year with numerous attractive new products despite ongoing challenges.”

Europe remains the largest BEV market for the Volkswagen Group (61% in 2023), although this is also a source of challenges because the situation in Europe is difficult. We heard multiple times that Volkswagen’s main electric car factory in Germany was reducing or temporarily pausing production. In Q4, the sales level in Europe decreased by over 6% year-over-year, which is very telling.

The second largest market is China, which is responsible for about a quarter of all Volkswagen Group’s BEV sales.

BEV sales in Q4’2023:

• Europe: 131,300 (down 6.3%) and 55% share
• U.S.: 20,800 (up 36%)
• China: 74,700 (up 73%)
• Rest of the world: 12,700 (up 72%)
• Total: 239,500 (up 16% year-over-year)

BEV sales in Q1-Q4’2023:

• Europe: 472,400 (up 34%) and 61% share
• U.S.: 71,000 (up 61%) and 9.2% share
• China: 191,800 (up 23%) and 25% share
• Rest of the world: 35,800 (up 75%)
• Total: 771,100 (up 35% year-over-year)

In terms of all-electric vehicle sales, the Volkswagen brand is the largest one with over 393,700 units sold in 2023, although its rate of growth lags behind most of the other group’s brands. Audi is the strong second with over 178,000 BEV sales.

Sales in Q4’2023:

• Volkswagen (cars): 120,600 (up 2%)
• Audi: 55,400 (up 34%)
• Skoda: 27,200 (up 62%)
• Seat/Cupra: 13,000 (down 6%)
• Porsche: 12,700 (up 31%)
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: 9,600 (up 66%)
• other (MAN, Volkswagen Truck & Bus, Scania, Navistar): 910 (up 82%)
• Total: 239,500 (up 16% year-over-year)

Sales in Q1-Q4’2023:

• Volkswagen (cars): 393,700 (up 21%)
• Audi: 178,400 (up 51%)
• Skoda: 81,700 (up 52%)
• Seat/Cupra: 45,300 (up 44%)
• Porsche: 40,600 (up 17%)
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: 29,300 (up 288%)
• other (MAN, Volkswagen Truck & Bus, Scania, Navistar): 2,100 (up 21%)
• Total: 771,100 (up 35% year-over-year)

Without any surprise, the Volkswagen ID.4 (counted by the manufacturer together with the ID.5 coupe version) and the Volkswagen ID.3 continued to be the best-selling models within the group.

Select BEV model sales (for which data are available) in Q4’2023:

• Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 – 61,000
• Volkswagen ID.3 – 50,300
• Audi Q4 e-tron (incl. Sportback) – 33,800
• Skoda Enyaq iV (incl. Coupé) – 27,300
• Cupra Born – 13,000
• Porsche Taycan (all versions) – 12,744
• other models – 41,356
• Total: 239,500 (up 16% year-over-year)

In 2023, the Volkswagen Group sold 223,100 Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5, which is almost 29% of all BEV sales.

The Volkswagen ID.3 is the second best with 140,800 units. One of the most interesting things is that out of that some 75,700 Volkswagen ID.3 were sold in China (almost 54%). For reference, Chinese ID.4 sales amounted to close to 28% of ID.4/ID.5 global sales.

Select BEV model sales (for which data are available) in Q1-Q4’2023:

• Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 – 223,100
• Volkswagen ID.3 – 140,800
• Audi Q4 e-tron (incl. Sportback) – 111,700
• Skoda Enyaq iV (incl. Coupé) – 81,700
• Audi Q8 e-tron/e-tron (incl. Sportback) – 49,000
• Cupra Born – 45,300
• Porsche Taycan (all versions) - 40,629
• Volkswagen ID. Buzz (incl. Cargo) – 28,600
• other models – 50,271
• Total: 771,100 (up 35% year-over-year)

Some of the models are very similar and offered by different brands. We can distinguish two groups, which when counted together, have a dominant share in the overall result:

• MEB-based hatchbacks: 186,100 (24% of all BEVs)
  Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born
• MEB-based crossover/SUVs: 416,500 (54% of all BEVs)
  Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5, Audi Q4 e-tron (incl. Sportback) and Skoda Enyaq iV (incl. Coupé)
• all other models combined: 168,500 (22% of all BEVs)

In 2024, the Volkswagen Group intends to launch several new all-electric models, including the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer (estate version of the ID.7), and the Volkswagen ID. Buzz with a long wheelbase (LWB), Cupra Tavascan (another cousin of the ID.4), and the two first models based on the all-new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) system: Audi Q6 e-tron and the Porsche e-Macan.

Some of these cars (Volkswagen ID. Buzz and the ID.7, Audi Q6 e-tron, and Porsche e-Macan) are coming to the U.S.