Volvo without Tension as Electric Sales Decline
This page is translated from the original post "Volvo sans tension avec des ventes électriques en baisse" in French.
- 07/05/2025 17:16
After a dynamic 2024, Volvo revealed a significant decline in its global sales in April 2025.
Volvo totaled 58,881 units, a drop of 11% compared to the previous year. This slowdown is particularly pronounced in its electrified lineup, with a 16% decrease in volumes.
The 100% electric models, long presented as the future of the brand, are experiencing a worrying decline of 32% (11,697 units versus 17,090 in 2024). Conversely, plug-in hybrids are modestly increasing (+2%), indicating a shift toward hybrid solutions at the expense of full electric models. Micro-hybrids and purely thermal engines are not spared, showing a decline of 5%.
Among the models, the XC60 remains the best-seller with 19,887 units (+2%), but other key models such as the XC40/EX40 (13,783 units, -9%) and the XC90 (9,746 units, +12%) show contrasting trends.
In the first four months of 2025, Volvo Cars experienced a 7% decline to 231,100 vehicles, illustrating a structural slowdown. The share of electrified sales, although significant (45%), masks a vulnerability in pure electric vehicles, which have fallen by 20% since January.
In France, the market confirms this trend: out of 979 registrations in April, electric vehicles account for 45.9%, but pure electrics (such as the EX30, XC40 Recharge) are losing momentum, favoring plug-in hybrids.
This “air pocket” in sales illustrates a major challenge for Volvo. Despite ambitious electrification plans, increased competition, still limited infrastructure, and an uncertain economy hinder the anticipated transition. The group will need to intensify its efforts to reconcile strategic objectives with commercial realities to regain an upward trajectory. Alternatively, it could commit even more strongly to hybrids, but that would only be a quick fix.
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