Volvo Cars announced that it had broken its record for March sales, buoyed by the launch of its fully electric small SUV. The Swedish automaker reported 25% increase in sales compared to the same period last year, totaling 78,970 vehicles, marking its highest monthly sales figure to date. Investors responded positively, with Volvo Cars’ shares climbing by 4% in early trade.
The company’s latest triumph highlights its commitment to electrification and innovation, as it continues to make significant strides in the competitive automotive market. Highlighting this milestone, Volvo Cars, in a statement said, “We are making good progress towards our annual sales target of at least 15% growth, and in the months ahead, we will focus on ramping up sales of our EX30,” referring to its newly introduced small SUV.
With a vision set on the future, Volvo Cars remains steadfast in its dedication to sustainable mobility. The company, majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, revealed that sales of fully electric cars surged by an impressive 43% in March, constituting 23% of its global sales volume for the month.
Furthermore, shares in Volvo Cars saw a notable uptick of 3.4% , outperforming the benchmark index on Stockholm’s stock exchange, showcasing investors’ confidence in the brand’s growth trajectory. Earlier this year, Volvo Cars expressed its optimism regarding the electric vehicle (EV) market, aiming for EVs to represent half of its sales volumes by the middle of the decade and to transition to selling only EVs by 2030.
Europe emerged as Volvo Cars’ primary market, with total sales soaring by 33% in March, further fueled by a remarkable 66% increase in sales of fully electric cars compared to the previous year. In contrast, the United States witnessed a 50% surge in total sales, predominantly driven by plug-in hybrid models, albeit with a 66% decline in fully electric car sales.
The first quarter of 2024 proved promising for Volvo Cars, as overall sales experienced a notable 12% year-on-year increase, bolstered by a 27% rise in fully electric car sales. This success stands in stark contrast to rival EV maker Tesla, which recently reported a decline in quarterly deliveries for the first time in nearly four years, missing Wall Street estimates.
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