By Victoria Waldersee
BERLIN -The Volkswagen Group reported its lowest gross sales in over a decade in 2022 as COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the battle in Ukraine upended provide chains, and a fourth-quarter restoration dangers operating into additional challenges this yr.
The German group, whose manufacturers vary from mass-market VWs and Skodas to premium Audis and Bentleys, stated on Thursday it delivered 8.3 million automobiles to clients final yr.
That signifies it'll stay in second place globally for the third yr in a row behind Japan’s Toyota Group, which by November had already produced over 9.5 million vehicles.
Group gross sales rose 14.3% within the fourth quarter, however the outlook for 2023 stays clouded by weak economies and provide chain shortages, prolonged government gross sales committee member Hildegard Wortmann stated.
Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley weathered 2022 higher than Volkswagen Passenger Automobiles and Skoda, with deliveries down round 4% on the premium manufacturers and down 9% for mass-market automobiles.
Group deliveries fell 7% versus 2021.
Excessive-end carmakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz earlier this week additionally reported a smaller decline in gross sales than some mass-market rivals, with falls of 4.8% and 1% respectively.
Each BMW and Mercedes-Benz gross sales additionally picked up within the fourth quarter as provide chains improved and China relaxed its COVID-19 insurance policies, although some firms have warned rising circumstances within the nation amongst employees may nonetheless stymie output.
The Volkswagen Group’s deliveries had been up 12% within the second half of the yr, however the full-year determine was dragged down by a drop of over a fifth within the first half.
Nonetheless, it maintained its place as Europe’s prime battery-electric car maker and noticed a 26% rise in all-electric gross sales globally, boosted by a rise of virtually two-thirds in China.
The group is aiming for all-electric gross sales in 2023 to be 11% of the full, a stepping stone to its 2030 goal of constructing half of all gross sales totally electrical.
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