COPENHAGEN, May 5 - Volvo Cars reported that it sold 162,864 vehicles in the three months ending in April, representing a 10% year-on-year decrease.
The company highlighted divergent regional patterns contributing to the result. Sales in China remained subdued, restrained by heightened competition and broader macroeconomic pressures. In the United States, deliveries were also under pressure, driven by softer customer sentiment, weaker demand for electrified variants and headwinds in SUV pricing.
Electrified vehicles - a category that includes both fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids - made up 48% of total sales during the period. Within that split, fully electric vehicles increased by 14% to 39,235 units, equating to 24% of overall volumes. By contrast, sales of plug-in hybrid models declined by 12%.
Reflecting on market conditions, the company said: "The automotive industry continues to face challenging market conditions which are reflected in the sales performance for the three-month period ending April 2026."
There were brighter signs in Europe, Volvo's largest region by orders, where the pace of orders stayed resilient. The company attributed this resilience mainly to demand for fully electric cars. Volvo also noted that deliveries of fully electric vehicles have expanded for seven months in a row, a trend it said has been driven by the EX30 and EX40 models.
The figures sketch a mixed picture for Volvo's near-term commercial performance: an overall drop in global volumes juxtaposed with a rising share and growing deliveries of fully electric models. The company emphasized regional differences - notably persistent weakness in China and continued softness in the U.S. - while pointing to sustained momentum for electric models in Europe.
Key statistics at a glance
- Total cars sold (three months through April): 162,864 - down 10% year-on-year.
- Electrified models share: 48% of total sales.
- Fully electric cars: 39,235 units - up 14%, representing 24% of total sales.
- Plug-in hybrids: sales down 12%.