(Frankfurt) Automobile giant Volkswagen announced Thursday a 7% decline in sales in 2022, like the mixed figures published by other German manufacturers, despite the growth of electric.
This is a third consecutive year of decline for the manufacturer of the Jetta, which has sold 8.3 million vehicles and should thus remain the second largest manufacturer in the world behind the Japanese Toyota.
Sales fell 10.4% in Europe and 6.1% in the United States.
In China, the group’s largest market, the decline was 3.6%. “After significant losses due to supply shortages and COVID-19-related blockages in the first half, group deliveries recovered well in the second half” in this country, Volkswagen notes.
In the premium segment, the BMW group retains the lead on the world podium, with 2.4 million cars sold in 2022 (-4.8%), ahead of Mercedes-Benz and its 2 million cars sold (-1%), according to figures released this week.
The shortage of semiconductors since the pandemic and the chaos on supply chains have weighed on production, despite a return to normal, little by little, in the second half.
And inflation, caused by rising energy prices, has dampened household purchasing power.
Sales picked up vigorously in the last quarter, largely encouraged by the boom in the purchase of electric vehicles, which in 2022 represented nearly 6.9% of total sales at Volkswagen (572,100 units), 9% at BMW and 5. 8% for Mercedes.
For BMW and Mercedes, this represents a doubling of their electric sales in one year.
The three German manufacturers remain behind in this area compared to their American and Chinese competitors.
“Although Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are all increasing their electric deliveries, they are far from able to keep pace with the leading group around Tesla and BYD,” according to a report from the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) released Thursday.
Of a total of 7 million electric vehicles sold in 2022 worldwide, Tesla sold 1.3 million, more than double Volkswagen, followed by China’s BYD (911,000). Between them, German manufacturers have not exceeded one million electric vehicles.
Volkswagen and BMW expect a recovery in 2023, thanks to a “particularly strong” order book for electric vehicles, explains Pieter Nota, member of the board of directors of BMW in a press release.