BERLIN—Volkswagen significantly increased deliveries in the first quarter despite weaker business in China, its most important single market, the German carmaker said on Friday.
The group delivered 2.04 million vehicles to customers worldwide, up 7.5 percent compared with the same quarter last year, while in China, sales fell 14.5 percent to 644,500 vehicles.
Sales in Western Europe provided a boost to overall figures, up slightly more than a quarter as production no longer feels the effects of semiconductor shortages as strongly.
Volkswagen reported a 25.4 percent decrease in battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in China in the first quarter, to 21,500 vehicles, while worldwide deliveries were up 42.1 percent….