Volkswagen redirects unsold Chinese EVs to Europe after Xpeng partnership fails to meet sales targets
By Eve
Volkswagen's China deliveries fell 36.6% year on year in Q2 2026 and 38.5% in Q3, while the local market declined only around 20% in spring. The ID. Unyx 08 SUV, developed with Xpeng and launched in April, averaged just 267 monthly sales through August, representing 7% of the 3,622 monthly target set in internal documents reviewed by Reuters on 20 October. Volkswagen's China market share dropped from 20% in 2019 to 10% over the first eight months of 2026, prompting the carmaker to consider selling China focused models in Europe instead.
Why it matters
The shift signals potential oversupply of Chinese built EVs entering European markets, which could intensify price competition for charging operators planning infrastructure around demand forecasts. Volkswagen's pivot also highlights how rapidly changing regional EV adoption rates force manufacturers and their charging partners to reassess deployment strategies across geographies.
Source
- Original title
- [FR] “Les Volkswagen chinoises ne se vendent pas, alors elles arrivent chez nous”
- Published
- 27 October 2026
- Updated
- 28 October 2026
- Also covered by
- automobile-propre.com
In this story
- Topic
- Electric Vehicles
- Tags
- Volkswagen · XPeng
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