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BMW H1 Deliveries Drop 4.2% as Sharp China Decline Offsets US, Europe Gains
Summary
BMW Group's global vehicle deliveries fell 4.2% in the first half of 2026, as a more than 20% sales plunge in China outweighed solid growth in its European and U.S. markets.
BMW Group reported a 4.2% year-over-year decline in its global vehicle deliveries for the first half of 2026, as a steep drop in the crucial Chinese market more than offset sales growth in Europe and the United States. The German automaker delivered a total of 1,156,742 vehicles in the six-month period, according to a company statement on Friday.
China Slump Overshadows Western Growth
The results highlight a significant regional divergence in the automaker's performance. Sales in China, a key market for the luxury carmaker, plunged 20.4% in the first half to 261,773 units. The decline was even more pronounced in the second quarter, with a drop of 30.2%.
In contrast, BMW saw robust performance in other major markets:
- Europe: Sales increased 5.4% to 496,651 vehicles.
- United States: Deliveries grew 3.9% to 200,661 vehicles, where the company said its BMW brand outperformed the overall market.
- Germany: The domestic market posted a strong 10.2% gain to 149,135 vehicles.
MINI Shines Amid Broader Declines
AdA breakdown by brand reveals a mixed performance across the group's portfolio. While the core BMW brand saw deliveries fall by 6.2% to approximately one million vehicles, the MINI brand was a notable bright spot, recording an 11.7% increase in sales to 149,538 units.
The company attributed MINI's success, which marks its sixth straight quarter of growth, to strong global demand for its fully-electric models. Other brands saw declines, with the high-performance BMW M division down 6.0% and luxury brand Rolls-Royce down 9.8%.
Electric Vehicle Sales Show Mixed Picture
The company's transition to electric vehicles (EVs) presented a nuanced picture. While total electrified vehicle sales, which include plug-in hybrids, fell 7.4% in the first half, sales of fully-electric BMW and MINI models grew 5.2% in the second quarter alone, reaching 116,807 units. Europe was a particularly strong market for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), with deliveries surging 38.0% in the second quarter.
Despite the challenging first half, management expressed confidence in its new product pipeline. "Despite challenges worldwide, we achieved positive sales results in the US and Europe," said Jochen Goller, BMW AG board member for sales. He pointed to "strong momentum" for the upcoming "Neue Klasse" electric platform and an expected sales boost from the new BMW X5.