Volkswagen's electric vehicle deliveries increase by 21% in 2023

Volkswagen has reported an increase in its vehicle deliveries in 2023 on a yearly basis, with the highest jump coming from its electric car sales. Taking into account VW’s recent - and numerous - report of manufacturing pauses due to a lack of demand for its vehicles, the actual numbers show that the picture isn't nearly as bleak as some feared.

In a world rapidly shifting towards EVs, Volkswagen found it hard to adapt to the new realities as quickly as it wanted. However, for all the challenges the company still delivered a staggering 4.87 million vehicles globally last year, marking a 6.7% increase compared to the previous year. But, more importantly it handed over approximately 394,000 fully electric vehicles to customers worldwide - that’s a notable 21.1% increase compared to the prior year.

Imelda Labbe, Volkswagen Board Member commented: "The delivery figures show that we are on the right track as a brand and that our cars are well received by our customers. We expect the market environment to remain challenging in 2024. But with our revised and attractive product portfolio, we are in the right position."

According to VW, the ID.4 models saw a remarkable increase of 62.9% in Germany, with approximately 30,000 units delivered. Meanwhile, in the United States, the ID.4 witnessed an 84.2% surge, with around 38,000 units finding new homes. China, the world's largest automotive market, saw an astonishing over 200% increase in the delivery of the ID.3 all-electric compact car, with more than 75,000 units sold in 2023.

The less rosy side of the story is this: the 30,000 ID.4 sold represent only 5.7% of all electric cars sold in Germany in 2023; the 38,000 units sold in the US don't even represent 4% of all EVs sold in 2023. And the 75,000 ID.3 units sold in China? Well, BYD and Tesla sold more electric cars in December alone - each.

Volkswagen is gearing up for a busy year ahead, with several new launches looking to maintain their growth trajectory. The ID.4 and ID.5 have received significant updates, including new operating and drive systems. One particularly noteworthy launch in 2024 is the ID.7 Tourer, the estate version of the all-electric flagship model ID.7.

As we move into the electric era, it is evident that consumers are embracing VW's electric vehicle offerings, albeit much slower than the company would like. The increase in deliveries is a testament to the changing tide in the automotive industry, with electric cars becoming an increasingly significant part of the market. But Volkswagen calling its results an outright success is a bit of a stretch - there’s much work left to be done.

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