Volvo’s global sales figures for the first two months of 2021 are up by more than 29%. Although sales are up in most markets, China is largely to thank for the increase.
In February, sales in China rose by a whopping 737%, although it must be noted that this is mostly down to the country’s weak sales this time last year. Although much of the rest of the world had not yet gone into lockdown, China was already in the grips of the pandemic.
In the first two months of 2021, Volvo sold nearly 30,000 vehicles in China alone, and more than 110,000 vehicles globally.
Sales in Europe, on the other hand, increased moderately (by around 5%) while US sales topped 17,000 for an increase of nearly 25% over the first two months of 2020.
Read More: China’s Car Sales Fell By A Cliff In February, Down By 92 Percent In 2020
The good news for Volvo’s future model lineup is that its EV and PHEV Recharge range made up more than a quarter of its global sales in February. In Europe, Recharge vehicles made up nearly half of Volvo’s sales.
The automaker’s top-selling vehicle in February was the XC40. Its sales were up more than 50% compared to last year and made up more than 30% of all Volvo sales. The XC60, meanwhile, was a close second, accounting for 28% of sales.
Volvo will look to capitalize on the XC40’s success with the release of the recently announced C40 Recharge. The small crossover-coupe is the brand’s first EV-only vehicle and is expected to go into production this fall.