BMW reported on Tuesday that global vehicle deliveries fell 3.5% in the first quarter of 2026, with the group delivering 565,748 vehicles during the three-month period.
Regional performance varied. Sales of BMW and MINI brands rose 3% in Europe, but that increase was not enough to counter contractions in other key markets. Deliveries in the United States declined 4.3%, while shipments to China fell 10%.
Battery electric vehicle - BEV - sales showed a more pronounced decline, dropping 20.1% in the first quarter. The fall in BEV deliveries contributed materially to the overall reduction in the group’s shipments for the period.
BMW’s delivery decline in China mirrors a trend among large German carmakers. The company joined a group of peers that also reported falling deliveries in the Chinese market, including Mercedes, Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen. The published figures place BMW’s regional performance alongside these other manufacturers, which have also recorded weaker shipments to China.
The quarter’s results underline the uneven nature of demand across BMW’s primary markets: modest growth in Europe contrasted with declines in North America and Asia. The company’s total global deliveries and the sharp drop in BEV sales are the principal metrics highlighted for the period.
Below are the principal takeaways from BMW’s first-quarter delivery report:
- Global deliveries: Down 3.5% year-on-year to 565,748 vehicles.
- Regional mix: Europe up 3% for BMW and MINI brands; United States down 4.3%; China down 10%.
- Electrified vehicles: Battery electric vehicle deliveries declined 20.1% in the quarter.
BMW’s published delivery numbers provide a snapshot of demand patterns across its major markets for the first quarter of 2026. The company’s figures also place it among several German automakers that experienced softer shipments to China in the same period.