Volkswagen Group China delivered 1.37 million new vehicles to customers in the first three quarters of 2026, keeping the company firmly among the top three automakers in the world's largest auto market, according to a sales statement released on October 12.
The performance came against a backdrop of intense industry pressure. In the third quarter, China's overall new-car market contracted by more than 20% year-on-year, with over 500 new or refreshed models launched during the period. Despite the downturn, Volkswagen maintained a 22% share of the internal-combustion engine market and saw its electrified vehicle sales in China grow by about 30% year-on-year in Q3.
New models on the way
Looking to the fourth quarter, Volkswagen is preparing a wave of new energy vehicles. The SAIC Volkswagen ID. ERA 5X, built on the CMP platform and CEA architecture, will go on sale before year-end. It features Volkswagen's self-developed full-scenario driving assistance system, the Hyper Sense 8 end-to-end large model. A new model from FAW-Volkswagen will also launch in the fourth quarter.
Additionally, Volkswagen will introduce LiDAR-equipped versions of the ID. 与众06 (ID. UNYX 06) and ID. 与众07 (ID. UNYX 07) in Q4. Both are based on the CEA architecture and come with the Hyper Sense 8 system. The company said that with more models entering mainstream segments, its new energy vehicle sales are expected to rise further in the fourth quarter.
Strategic shift bearing fruit
Volkswagen stated that after three years of transformation, its "In China, for China" strategy has been fully implemented and is now entering a phase of delivering results. The group has established end-to-end local R&D capabilities and is deeply integrated into China's technology ecosystem, it said.
For the full year 2026, Volkswagen plans to achieve significant year-on-year growth in new energy vehicle sales in China and raise the share of new energy models to a double-digit percentage of its total sales volume.
According to Sina Auto, the company's performance underscores its commitment to the Chinese market amid a challenging environment, with a focus on both maintaining its leading position in internal combustion engines and accelerating its electric transition.
