Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) returned to the black in the first half of 2021. Despite a still challenging environment, it reported an operating profit after six months of EUR 87 million. The comparable figure in the same period last year was – EUR 334 million. The result for the whole of 2020 was also a loss. Last year’s results were greatly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with falling sales figures and temporary plant closures with no active production. In the first half of 2021, turnover rose by EUR 1.1 billion to EUR 5.3 billion.
“That was a real feat that we achieved together in the first half of the year,” said Carsten Intra, Chairman of the VWCV Board of Management, commenting on the result. “Despite the good result, the situation remains tough. The position in the supplier markets is still uncertain, the coronavirus pandemic is far from being beaten and we are seeing big differences in our sales regions globally. Nevertheless, the first six months have me feeling positive, including with regards to the full year of 2021.”
In the first half of the year it was the Multivan, Transporter and Crafter that recorded strong growth: 95,000 vehicles of the T series were supplied to customers (+54 per cent) and over 35,000 Crafter vehicles (+43 per cent). In the case of the Caddy it was just shy of 50,000 vehicles.
Due the model change and the very strained situation with semi-conductor products, the redesigned city delivery van was thus slightly below the previous year’s figure (-4 per cent). The Amarok, which following the discontinuation of production in Hannover is still being made in Pacheco in Argentina, recorded a good 24,000 units – primarily in Australia and South America – and was thus almost at the previous year’s level (-3 per cent).
Demand for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ popular campervans again went up. Orders taken for the California 6.1 rose in the first half of 2021 by 40 per cent compared to the already strong prior year figure. Its big brother too – the Grand California – saw strong year-on-year growth: orders taken doubled in number.
Michael Obrowski, Member of the Board of Management for Finance and IT, commented: “In addition to the upward movement in the European markets and a good volume mix, the first-half result can above all be attributed to the GRIP Performance cost programme which began last year. We will continue to benefit from this programme and its systematic implementation over the coming months as well. In the first half of the year there was an additional positive impact from the used vehicle market, which performed above our expectations.”
In June 2021, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles unveiled the new Multivan, which will further broaden the model range later this year, including through the addition of a hybrid vehicle (PHEV). VWCV is in this way expanding its portfolio of battery-electric vehicles. A fully electric version (BEV) of the Crafter is already offered. The T6.1 – as Transporter or Caravelle – is offered by the brand, together with the partner ABT, as a BEV version too. Next year will then see the world première of the new all-electric Bulli icon: the ID.BUZZ.
SOURCE: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
