Volvo Cars reported global sales of 162,864 vehicles for the three-month period spanning February through April — down 10% compared to the same period a year earlier.
In April alone, total sales fell by 11.5% to 52,085 units as the Geely-backed automaker continued to face weak demand in China and the United States.
The carmaker disclosed the figures in its rolling three-month sales release on Tuesday, the third such monthly disclosure since Volvo shifted away from standalone monthly sales reporting in February.
Sales of fully electric cars accounted for 24% of the company’s total deliveries during the period, while plug-in hybrid models contributed another 24% — bringing the electrified share to 48% of all vehicles sold.
The performance marks the seventh consecutive month of fully electric vehicle delivery growth for the company, driven by the EX30 small SUV and the EX40 compact SUV.
April Standalone
Derived from Volvo‘s previously disclosed monthly figures, the company delivered approximately 52,085 vehicles globally in April alone — calculated by subtracting the company’s January-March 2026 totals from the February-April rolling figure released on Tuesday.
Of those April deliveries, approximately 12,766 were fully electric vehicles, equivalent to roughly 24.5% of the monthly total — broadly in line with the rolling three-month average.
The April fully electric volume compares to the 15,365 fully electric units Volvo delivered in March and 10,956 in February.
The derived April figures are not directly disclosed by Volvo Cars under its rolling three-month reporting framework but can be reconstructed from the company’s published rolling totals and prior monthly releases.
Reporting Framework
Volvo Cars switched to a rolling three-month sales reporting framework in February, citing the framework’s ability to provide what the company called a more accurate and meaningful view of sales performance over time.
The shift came after a series of volatile monthly disclosures through the back half of 2025 that reflected shifting incentive policies, tariff impacts, and product transition timing across regions.
China Volumes
Sales in China remained weak through April, with Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson citing intensifying competitive pressure from new domestic entrants and a challenging macroeconomic environment.
The overall Chinese auto market saw a steep double-digit decline in industry volumes during April, Volvo said in the release.
Volvo launched a front-wheel-drive variant of the XC70 long-range plug-in hybrid in China during April, expanding the addressable market for the model that has anchored the company’s electrified strategy in Asia’s largest auto market.
The XC70 long-range plug-in hybrid drove a 116% surge in Chinese electrified sales during the first quarter, with plug-in hybrid deliveries rising 146% year-over-year.
US Sales Pressured
US deliveries continued to be impacted by record-low customer sentiment, a slower recovery in fully electric and plug-in hybrid car sales following the removal of subsidies, and increased pricing pressure in the SUV segment, Volvo said.
The challenging US backdrop builds on first quarter results disclosed on April 2, when Volvo reported Americas sales fell 28% year-over-year to 29,651 vehicles, with electrified deliveries down 30% as the federal incentive phase-out continued to weigh on consumer demand.
Volvo Car USA reported first quarter sales of 22,651 vehicles — a 32% year-over-year decline — with electrified vehicles accounting for 25% of the US mix.
Europe Remains the Bright Spot
Volvo‘s European order pace remained resilient through April, led by fully electric vehicles, Severinson said.
The company’s Europe and Rest of World region — its largest by volume — recorded a 21% year-over-year increase in fully electric vehicle sales during the first quarter, with electrified models accounting for 57% of the regional sales mix.
The UK delivered a record first quarter for the company, with Volvo describing itself as one of the fastest-growing premium battery-electric brands in Europe.
EX60 Ramp Begins This Summer
Severinson confirmed that customer deliveries of the fully electric EX60 mid-size SUV will begin this summer, with a gradual production ramp expected to drive growth during the second half of 2026.
Production of the EX60 began last month, after Volvo had positioned the vehicle as a critical volume contributor to its electrification strategy through the IAA Mobility unveiling in September 2025.
Strategy Framing
The automaker closed 2025 with global sales of 710,042 vehicles, with electrified models accounting for 46% of the total mix.
Fully electric vehicle sales for the full year 2025 totaled 151,830 — down 13% from 175,194 units a year earlier — though monthly trends have improved through the first four months of 2026.
The Q1 2026 financial release on April 29 reported a group operating income (EBIT) of SEK 1.6 billion and an EBIT margin of 2.2%, with Samuelsson emphasizing what he called a divide between areas the company controls and a challenging external environment.
Volvo Cars is on track to reduce an additional SEK 5 billion in costs beyond the savings achieved in 2025, with free cash flow tracking at SEK -10.0 billion in the first quarter due to seasonality and inventory build-up tied to the EX60 launch.
The company has guided for full-year volume growth in 2026, supported by the EX60 ramp and continued momentum in fully electric models across Europe.
