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By Natalie Hughes 21/07/2026 3 min read 35 views

BMW released its delivery figures for the first half of the year, and the raw numbers highlight a distinct split between strength in Europe and weakness in Asia. The company reports that its brands—BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce—sold 204,295 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in the first half of the year, marking a 7.4% decline in comparison to the first half of 2025. The two quarters showed significant differences, with sharp losses in the opening months followed by a recovery in the second quarter. Reports indicate that electric vehicle sales began sluggish in Q1 before recovering significantly in Q2. This volatility suggests that market stability remains a challenge for the manufacturer.

While the period from January to March saw steep losses, BMW recorded a 5.2% increase in sales between April and June, delivering 116,807 BEVs. The carmaker attributes the rebound in electric vehicle sales in the second quarter to the launch of the new BMW iX3. The Munich-based company noted in a statement that this recovery was evident in the European market, where the BMW iX3 was first available. In this region, BEV sales surged to 81,445 units, representing a 38.0% increase.

Despite the progress in Europe, the group’s overall passenger car sales present a “mixed picture” with “regions exhibiting mixed performance.” The 1.156 million vehicles sold worldwide in the first half of the year represent a 4.2% decline compared to the first half of 2025. These figures illustrate the broader challenges facing the automotive industry as it transitions to cleaner energy solutions.

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The primary reason for this dip is a 20.4% drop in the China business, with sales in the Asian market falling to 261,773 vehicles. In the second quarter alone, sales declined by 30% in China, a loss that was too steep to be fully offset by growth in other areas. This downturn highlights the vulnerability of international operations to domestic market shifts.

Gains in other regions were insufficient to offset these losses. Sales in Europe rose by approximately 5.4%, while in the USA, they increased by 3.9%. The firm’s brands saw a 6.2% decline in global sales, with moderate gains in the West overshadowed by the crash in China. Meanwhile, MINI recorded an 11.7% growth in global sales, reaching 149,538 vehicles. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of growth for the brand, with fully electric MINI models cited as the primary driver.

The contrast between the European market’s acceptance of the new BMW iX3 and the sharp 30% drop-off in China highlights a difficult transition for the manufacturer. As factories pivot production to meet European orders, the financial strain of managing excess inventory in a sluggish Chinese market becomes a tangible threat to profitability. This regional imbalance forces BMW to rely heavily on a specific segment of its lineup to keep its overall electric division from slipping further. Management is likely preparing strategies to stabilize the Asian market while maintaining momentum in Europe.

Calculations further reveal that 17.6% of all BMW passenger car sales in the first six months of the year were fully electric. Including plug-in hybrids, 25.5% of new BMWs featured an electric powertrain, meaning every fourth vehicle. These shares are significantly higher than those of other German carmakers, with Volkswagen currently reporting a 10.6% BEV share and Mercedes-Benz around 13%. The leadership at BMW remains confident that these percentages will rise as the product portfolio expands throughout the remainder of the year.

Rolls-Royce delivered 2,523 vehicles in the first half of the year (-9.8%), while BMW Motorrad sold 102,847 motorcycles and scooters (-2.9%). The company also reports global sales of electrified vehicles, combining BEVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Munich-based BMW delivered 295,407 units from January to June (-7.4% year-on-year), with 162,870 units sold in the second quarter (+0.8% year-on-year).

This week, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz also presented their half-year statistics. All three carmakers are experiencing significant setbacks in their China operations, although Mercedes-Benz has still managed to achieve higher electric vehicle sales than the previous year. This puts Mercedes in a rare position, as neither Volkswagen nor BMW can claim the same feat despite their higher overall market shares for electric vehicles. The competitive setting across German automakers remains fluid, with regional performance driving the narrative.