Volkswagen closed the year 2021 with a substantial 14.8% year-over-year decrease in car sales in China and Hong Kong. Also, the Volkswagen Group noted a similar 14.1% global decrease to 3.3 million vehicles, which shows how challenging was the past year.
But not everything was in the red. According to the latest data, Volkswagen's plug-in electric car sales - New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sales - more than doubled last year in China to almost 119,000 (up 128% year-over-year).
Out of that, 70,625 (or nearly 60% of all plug-ins) falls on the ID. family (ID.3, two ID.4 and two ID.6) - achieved in 9 months.
Volkswagen was not able to achieve its target of 80,000-100,000 ID. sales in 2021 in China, partially because of the industry-wide chip shortage. Dr. Stephan Wőllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Brand China, said:
“Starting October, the industry-wide chip problem also began affecting our ID. family, but as the situation gradually improves, we expect further solid increases in ID. sales during 2022, especially with OTA functions coming online later in the year.”
According to Wőllenstein (via Reuters), Volkswagen aims to double electric car sales (specifically the ID. family) in 2022.
It means that the sales should exceed 140,000 this year or over 11,600 per month on average. Well, the new target appears achievable, maybe even too conservative just to make sure that it will not be missed.
"Volkswagen's China chief Stephan Wollenstein told a briefing in Beijing that the automaker would still like to double its original plan but that goal "is not currently secured by the semiconductor supplies that we currently see."
He added, however that he was "pretty positive that we will see a doubling of actual sales.""
The overall target for Volkswagen is to increase sales by half a million cars or 15% in 2022.
Meanwhile, it's worth noting that Porsche (part of the Volkswagen Group) has sold more than 7,000 Taycans in China (about 10% of the Volkswagen ID. volume), which is not far from over 9,400 in the U.S.