Tesla’s Q1 Decline Boosted VW’s Surprising Surge in the EV Competition | Carscoops

      Global sales surged, with European EV deliveries experiencing a remarkable increase, as registrations more than doubled in the region.

      7 hours ago

      by Chris Chilton

      VW’s global EV sales rose by 59% to 217,000 in Q1, contributing to Tesla's decline in sales.

      Sales of fully electric vehicles in the US increased by 51%, while they soared by 113% in Europe.

      However, VW encountered challenges, as EV sales in China dropped by 37% from January to March.

      Tesla’s sales plummeted in Q1, falling 13% to 337,000, a circumstance that may elicit some amusement from VW’s executives in Germany. What would truly prompt celebrations in Wolfsburg is the understanding that Tesla's struggles are likely tied to VW achieving record EV sales numbers during the same timeframe.

      Related: Tesla’s European Sales Have Dropped 45% Amid a 31% Surge in the EV Market

      Sales of fully electric VW Group vehicles rose by 59% in the first quarter, totaling 216,800 compared to 136,400 in Q1 2024. In contrast, Tesla reported 336,681 deliveries during the same period, a 13% decrease from the previous year. Yet, even that performance pales in comparison to events in Europe.

      EV Boom in Europe

      EV sales in Europe surged by 113%, reaching 158,100, up from 74,400 a year ago, likely aided by a general aversion to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, especially in Germany, where he endorsed the far-right AfD party. A recent poll indicated that 94% of Germans would avoid purchasing a Tesla due to Musk's actions. This sentiment appears to have significantly impacted sales: in Q1, Tesla's sales in Germany dropped by 62% compared to the same quarter last year.

      Significant Increases in the US, Issues in China

      Sales in the US also saw strong growth, with Americans acquiring 19,900 EVs, reflecting a 51% rise. In contrast, there was disappointing news from China, where EV sales fell by 37% to 25,900 units. Although the global EV sales figures are certainly noteworthy, they should be considered alongside overall vehicle sales across all powertrain types.

      VW GROUP EV SALES

      That total improved marginally, by 1.4% to 2.13 million units, as the decline in demand for combustion vehicles was countered by the rising interest in EVs and a 15% increase in PHEV sales. Overall sales in China dropped by 7%, making it the only region to experience a decrease.

      VW’s Leading EVs

      Globally, VW’s top-selling EV was the ID.4/ID.5, with 43,700 sales, followed by the ID.3 hatch with 28,100 deliveries. Audi’s Q4 e-tron, a rebranded ID.4, came in third with 22,800 sales, while the Skoda Enyaq attracted 20,200 buyers and VW’s ID.7 achieved 19,100 sales.

      Porsche’s Macan Electric ranked seventh with 14,200 sales; however, since it wasn’t available in Q1 2024, its performance in this year’s Q1 contributed to a 326% increase in Porsche’s EV deliveries.

      EV SALES BY BRAND