Volkswagen of America released its sales figures for Q1 2026 and the results were mixed.
Last week the automaker announced that it was going to stop assembling the ID.4 electric SUV in Chattanooga, Tennessee and retool to focus on the next-generation Atlas for model year 2027.
Well, now, it's pretty clear why.
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According to VW's sales figures, the company sold 7,663 ID.4s in Q1 2025. Last quarter told a different tale, with a mere 338 ID.4s sold—a drop of 95.6%.
Across the board, sales dipped 16.1% year-over-year, but there were some wins. The Tiguan LWB saw an increase of 55.2% and the Golf R sedan increased 4.7%, though the volumes were so low it was just a 36-unit increase.
Despite some feel good stories, sales of VW's electric bus update, the ID.Buzz, dropped 35.2%. The subcompact SUV Taos declined 40.8%. The GTI hatchback dropped 21.6% and even the Jetta sedan dropped nearly 35%.
The plant in Tennessee will refocus on "higher-volume" models like the Atlas, but even that model saw a 3.2% decline year-over-year and the Atlas Cross Sport saw a 6.9% dip. Still, 16,361 Atlases is significantly stronger demand than the 338 ID.4s.
The economic outlook for this year remains hazy after sluggish growth to end 2025.
Last week, VW said the EV market continues to "challenge the industry." Right now, that looks like an understatement.
Industrial Equipment News (IEN) reached out to VW, but the company did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
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