Volkswagen's 2026 H1 EV sales slip globally but Europe orders surge 50%

Volkswagen delivered 438,500 fully electric vehicles worldwide in the first half of 2026, a 6 % decline from the same period a year earlier. The drop is driven by sharp falls in China (‑25.9 %) and the United States (‑69 %), the latter after the end of federal EV tax credits and higher tariffs.

In Europe the picture is different. Deliveries rose 8.4 % to 377,000 BEVs, lifting the group’s market share in Western Europe from 20 % to 21 %. The pending European order book for BEVs grew by more than 50 % and now accounts for over 30 % of all Volkswagen Group orders. Over 54,000 pre‑orders have been recorded for the new Electric Urban Car Family – the ID Polo, Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval – despite only three of the four models being in market at the time.

The Skoda Elroq was the top‑selling electric model globally with 59,900 units, followed by the VW ID 4/ID 5 (53,700) and Skoda Enyaq (48,300). Plug‑in hybrid and extended‑range electric deliveries rose 27 % to 246,000 units, showing continued demand for intermediate electrified powertrains.

Volkswagen expects the strong European demand for its compact EVs to drive growth in the second half of the year, while it works to stabilise sales in China and the United States.