Volkswagen's global deliveries fell 14.3%, while Traton's sales rose 10%

German automaker Volkswagen's global deliveries fell 14.3% year-on-year in the third quarter to 1.89 million vehicles. The main reason for the decline was further weakening demand in China. At the same time, sales at Traton, the Volkswagen Group's truck manufacturer, rose 10%, supported by improving demand in the US market.

According to company data released on Monday, Volkswagen's deliveries in China, its largest market, fell 38.5%. Since the start of the year, the decline has reached 30.2%. Deliveries in North America fell 5.8%, while Western Europe saw a 2.8% drop. Central and Eastern Europe, however, recorded growth of 1.4%. Despite the overall decline, Volkswagen shares rose more than 1% at the start of trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

In the US, Volkswagen's sales fell 10.9% in the third quarter to 78,179 vehicles. SUV sales dropped 16.2%, with the sharpest decline affecting the electric ID.4: its sales fell from 12,470 to 989 units, a 92% drop. Atlas sales declined 19.5%.

By contrast, Tiguan sales rose 27.4% to 28,091 units, while Jetta sales increased 24.9% to 14,092 vehicles. These models' results drove a 16.6% increase in passenger car sales overall.

Sales at Audi's US division, part of the Volkswagen Group, fell 15% in the third quarter to 39,751 vehicles. In the first nine months of the year, sales dropped 16% to 107,667 units. However, according to the company, newly introduced models showed growth: A5 sales rose 53% to 5,315 units, A3 sales rose 58%, Q5 sales rose 17% to 11,371 units, and Q8 sales rose 103%.

Audi's electric vehicle sales fell sharply. Q6 e-tron sales dropped 94% to 619 units, while Q4 e-tron sales fell from 2,956 to just eight vehicles. Certified pre-owned vehicle sales remained nearly unchanged at 11,510 units. The company plans to introduce the new Q9 and Q7 in the fourth quarter.

Volkswagen's truck division Traton sold 78,900 vehicles in the third quarter, a 10% year-on-year increase. This figure represents an improvement compared to the 4% growth recorded in the second quarter. In the first nine months of the year, Traton's sales rose 3% to 230,400 units.

The strongest result came from Traton's American brand International Motors, whose truck sales rose 48% to 19,900 units. The company attributed this result to a sharp recovery in customer demand. Scania's sales rose 3% to 22,100 units, supported by expanded production at a new plant in China and a government-backed credit program in Brazil. Volkswagen Truck & Bus sales rose 5% to 12,500 units, while MAN's sales fell 1% to 24,500 units. Traton's fully electric truck sales fell 6% to 770 units.