Share
FRANKFURT, Germany — German automaker Volkswagen said its global sales fell 15.2% during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but showed significant recovery toward the end of the year. The company more than tripled its sales of battery-only vehicles.
Global sales for all of Volkswagen’s brands amounted to 9.3 million vehicles. The fourth quarter showed a smaller decline of 5.7% and within that quarter the month of December was still further improved, showing a shortfall of only 3.2% from the same period the year before.
Volkswagen said Wednesday that sales fell the most in Western Europe, by 21.6%, while China, the company’s largest single market, was down 9.1%
Sales of battery-only cars jumped 214% to 231,600 from 73,700 across all the company’s brands. The company’s electric sales leaders included the Volkswagen ID.3 compact with 56,500, the Audi e-tron SUV with 47,300, and the high-end Porsche Taycan with 20,000.
Volkswagen said that its sales fell by less than the overall market, meaning it had slightly expanded its market share. “The COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 an extremely challenging year,” said group sales chief Christian Dahlheim. “The Volkswagen Group performed well in this environment and strengthened its market position.”
Volkswagen Group’s brands include Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, SEAT, Skoda and Porsche as sell as truck makers MAN and Scania.
RELATED TOPICS:
Thief Uses Sleight of Hand to Swipe $255K Tiffany Ring, Cops Say
5 hours ago
California Reports the First Increase in Groundwater Supplies in 4 Years
5 hours ago
Lawsuit Alleges Decades of Child Sex Abuse at Illinois Juvenile Detention Centers Statewide
6 hours ago
Texas Soldier Arrested in Russia on Theft Charges After Unexpected Detour
6 hours ago
Fresno Detectives Arrest Motorcycle Club Leader on Arson, Gun Charges
6 hours ago
Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism Awarded to The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP and Others
7 hours ago
Hamas Accepts Gaza Cease-Fire; Israel Launches Strikes in Rafah
7 hours ago
Tom Brady’s Netflix Roast Features Lots of Jabs and a Belichick-Kraft Reunion
7 hours ago
CA Limits How Police Respond to Protests. Why Were Bean Bag Shotguns Used at UCLA?
8 hours ago
This Is Why Banana Ball Drew 31,000 for the Series in Fresno