Volkswagen deliveries slump as China sales plunge 30%

(Sharecast News) - Volkswagen Group reported a sharp decline in global vehicle deliveries in the third quarter of 2026, driven by a sharp downturn in China, where sales plunged by 38.5%.

The German carmaker delivered 1.89m vehicles worldwide between July and September, down 14.3% from 2.2m a year earlier, with Chinese deliveries falling to 405,800 from 660,300.

The decline in China reflected a sharp contraction in the overall market, particularly for combustion-engine vehicles, Volkswagen said.

North American deliveries fell 5.8% year-on-year during the quarter, while Western Europe declined 2.8% and South America dropped 2.4%. Central and Eastern Europe bucked the trend, growing 1.4%.

Among the group's brands, Volkswagen Passenger Cars suffered a 19.3% decline in deliveries, while Audi fell 19.7% and Porsche dropped 15%. `koda deliveries edged up 0.2%.

Global battery-electric vehicle deliveries declined 4.7% to 240,200, despite a 19.6% increase in Europe. US electric vehicle deliveries plunged 86.4%, reflecting the expiration of government subsidies and pressure from import tariffs.

However, Volkswagen highlighted growing electric vehicle demand in Europe, where fully electric models now account for around 40% of its order book, with orders for the recently launched Electric Urban Car Family reaching nearly 150,000.

For the first nine months of 2026 as a whole, total group deliveries fell 9% to 6.01m vehicles, with China down 30.2%.

Martin Sander, head of sales, said the sharp decline in China's overall market remained an industry-wide challenge, although newly developed electric models were beginning to gain traction.

The company said deliveries of electrified vehicles in China rose by approximately 30% in the third quarter, supported by demand for plug-in hybrid and range-extender models.

By 1442 BST, Volkswagen's stock was 0.6% higher at �68.85 in Frankfurt.