(Jan 13): Volkswagen AG’s namesake brand is projecting rising electric-vehicle (EV) sales this year as the German automaker prepares a range of affordable plug-in models.
VW’s EV deliveries stayed roughly flat last year at around 382,000 units, with declines in China cancelling out strong growth in Europe, the brand said on Tuesday. It’s betting that new models including the compact ID. Polo, priced at around €25,000, will bolster sales in 2026.
“In China alone, we will be bringing out more than ten new electric models this year,” Martin Sander, board member responsible for sales and marketing, said in a statement. The company is working with China’s Xpeng Inc to update its offering for the world’s biggest car market.
Volkswagen could use a sales boost as US tariffs and waning deliveries in China drag on its business. Meanwhile, Chinese brands are expanding in Europe with competitively priced models like BYD Co’s Dolphin Surf hatchback, which starts at around €23,000 in Germany.
Volkswagen’s European peers are also offering an increasing array of cheaper EVs. Stellantis NV’s Citroën ë-C3 city car had a starting price of €14,990 in France last year for customers qualifying for a government social leasing plan.
Renault SA in November unveiled the new Twingo, an electric version of a popular model introduced in the 1990s that will be available for less than €20,000 by this summer.
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