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The company's sales dropped by nearly 7% in the past year, with a total of 4.56 million cars sold - a 6.8% decline from the previous year. This was attributed to "persistent supply shortages," according to Imelda Labbé, board member for sales, marketing, and aftersales.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Volkswagen's electric vehicle (EV) sales saw a considerable increase of 23.6% year on year, reaching a total of 330,000. The ID 4 crossover model was a notable contributor to this growth, with 170,000 global deliveries in 2022 and the title of best-selling car in Sweden for the second consecutive year, recording 8,900 deliveries. Furthermore, Volkswagen's EV sales in China more than doubled, with 143,100 examples of the ID 3 hatchback, ID 4, and the exclusive to China ID 6 SUV handed over.
Despite the threat of supply shortages, Volkswagen's EV sales are expected to see a significant boost in 2023 with the launch of the upgraded ID 3, the new ID 7 saloon, and the ID Buzz MPV. According to Labbé, the company's "roadmap is clear: with the Accelerate strategy, Volkswagen is stepping up the pace of its electric campaign with 10 new electric models by 2026." Additionally, the company plans to have a broad range of EV options available, from an entry-level car priced under €25,000 to the new flagship ID 7.
Furthermore, Volkswagen anticipates that the supply shortages will ease throughout 2023 and production volumes will eventually stabilize. The company is making efforts to shorten delivery times for customers and reduce the high order backlog. As well as the growth of EV sales, Volkswagen also saw an increase in demand for SUVs throughout 2022, with the bodystyle's share of the brand's total sales rising by 4% to 45%. This trend was particularly pronounced in the US, where SUVs accounted for 80% of the brand's total sales.
Source: Volkswagen
