By Dominic Chopping
Volkswagen Group vehicle deliveries fell in the first quarter as growth in Europe failed to offset hefty declines in the U.S. and China.
The German automaker said Monday that the Chinese auto market suffered a significant decline while a challenging market in the U.S. was characterized by tariffs and the end of tax incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles.
The company, which houses a stable of brands that includes VW, Audi and Porsche, said its group vehicle deliveries fell 4% on year to 2.05 million.
"The first quarter of 2026 was once again characterized by very challenging economic and geopolitical conditions," said Marco Schubert, member of the group's extended executive committee for sales.
Deliveries in China were down 15% to 548,700 vehicles, but Volkswagen said it recorded a slight gain in market share.
In the U.S., deliveries fell 21% on year.
"The worldwide automotive market declined overall through the end of March," Schubert said. "In China and the U.S., the total market declines also affected our deliveries."
Although the war in the Middle East has led to disruptions in the directly affected markets, it hasn't had a significant impact on the group's overall deliveries, the company added.
Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-13-26 0558ET
