Despite the continuous challenges faced in the production of new cars, “Møller Baltic Import”, the importer and wholesaler of Audi cars in Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the importer of Volkswagen (VW) cars in all Baltic countries, has shown stable growth in 2022 . One of the most important features was the growing popularity of electric vehicles (BEVs), which allowed to strengthen the positions of “Audi” and “VW” in the rapidly growing zero-emission vehicle market. Likewise, “Moller Baltic Import” revealed the goals set this year in Latvia and the Baltics in the field of e-mobility.
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“Last year, supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic were followed by new challenges – the war in Ukraine, record-high inflation and uncertainty about future development in almost every sphere. However, in close cooperation with the VW and Audi factories and our retail network in the Baltics, listening to our customers and as much as possible by better responding to their needs, we achieved a significant increase last year. 9,281 cars have been delivered to customers in the Baltic countries, which is 7% more than in 2021,” says Ilze Grase-Ķibile, CEO of Møller Baltic Import.
“The year 2022 was particularly successful in the electric car segment. VW’s electric car market share in all Baltic countries is 9.2%, occupying the 3rd place and growing sales figures of the “ID” family models, while “Audi” is the leading “premium” class electric car brand in Lithuania and in Latvia, with a 30% market share. This year we will surprise electric car fans with several novelties, and we also have long-term plans to promote the development of e-mobility in the Baltics, which we have already started in 2022,” adds Ilze Grase-Ķibile.
During the Baltic-wide press conference in Jūrmala, representatives of “Møller Baltic Import” presented last year’s results, as well as plans for this and future years. Journalists from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia witnessed the exclusive presentations of several models not previously seen in the Baltic States. These were concept cars – “VW ID. Space Vizzion” and “Audi A6 Avant e-tron” and this year’s biggest news from the VW commercial vehicle division – “ID. Buzz” and “ID. Buzz Cargo”, as well as the all-new “VW Amarok” “, whose official debut in the Baltic states is expected only in May of this year.
VW plans to boost growth
VW delivered 6,408 cars to customers in the Baltic States, and 1,977 of them were delivered to Latvia. This strengthens the brand’s strong market position in Latvia with a market share of 12.2%.
VW’s strategic expansion in the SUV market segment is showing remarkable results: in all countries at least 75% of all cars sold are SUVs, and more than half of all cars sold are either “T-Cross” (No. 1 VW model in Lithuania, in Latvia and Estonia), “Tiguan” (No. 2 in Lithuania and Latvia, No. 3 in Estonia) or “T-Roc” (No. 2 in Estonia and No. 3 in Lithuania and Latvia). VW is the leading brand in the small SUV market in the Baltic States.
In the Baltic countries as a whole, sales of VW cars grew by 7%, while demand for fully electric “IDs” increased by 22%. family models. The most popular model in this segment was the “ID.4”, followed by the “ID.3” and “ID.5”, which combine a modern SUV and a coupe. All “IDs.” the cars are built on the MEB platform, which is specially designed for electric cars, offering more interior space, the latest safety and comfort technologies, as well as the ability to drive long distances on a single charge.
“We still feel that VW’s potential in the Baltic States has not been exhausted, and we expect significant changes this year. We have started 2023 with two and a half times more orders than before. With production capacity returning to normal, we expect to deliver to customers this year at least 30 % more new cars than last year. In addition to consolidating our leading position in the small SUV segment, we will also increase sales of the electric “ID” family and expect them to account for around 15% of all cars sold by the end of the year,” says VW brand manager in the Baltic countries Justs Nekrošus.
He adds that a number of important models will be presented on the market this year, including the modernized version of the “ID.3”, which is expected in the third quarter of 2023, as well as the fully electric sedan “ID.7”, which should arrive in the Baltic countries by the end of the year.
“Audi” brand with an appropriate level of ambition
“Audi” 2022 was a record year. 1,058 new cars of this brand were sold in Lithuania and Latvia, which is 33% more than a year earlier. In Latvia, “Audi” achieved the highest figures ever in the BEV sales segment, becoming the No. 1 brand in the “premium” level electric car category and no. 2 brands across the BEV market, including volume brands. The fully electric “Audi e-tron” was the most popular model in Latvia, followed by the “Audi Q5” and “Q7”.
At the beginning of this year, “Audi” has already unveiled two new and very special models – “RS6 performance” and “RS7 performance” on the market of Latvia and Lithuania, but the most important premiere of the year is yet to come: the new “Q8 e-tron” will arrive in both countries already in March. .
“The top-of-the-line electric SUV will impress our customers with an optimized drive concept, improved aerodynamics and design, higher charging efficiency and battery capacity, allowing the Q8 Sportback e-tron to travel up to 600 km on a single charge. In addition, a new and fully electric version is expected this autumn” The world premiere of Audi’s B-segment car, which will further expand the range of fully electric Audi cars,” says Ilgvars Lubka, head of the Audi brand in Latvia and Lithuania.
Baltic companies are switching to e-mobility
The commercial transport segment, which showed signs of recovery in 2021, declined again last year. This was mainly due to disruptions in supply chains and reduced production volumes. VW’s commercial transport division delivered 1,257 new cars from the range of “Caddy”, “Transporter” and “Crafter” models to customers, thus ensuring a 9.7% market share in the Baltic countries.
According to Merli Ainsāre, head of the VW commercial transport brand in the Baltic States, e-mobility gained momentum in the commercial transport sector in 2022. The latest “VW Multivan” reached our market, which is available for the first time with a new and modern “plug-in” hybrid engine.
“Customers are ready for electrification – last year, half of all delivered “Multivan” models were hybrids, while fully electric “ID. Buzz” and “ID. Buzz Cargo” already gained huge popularity in pre-sale. During that time, 200 “IDs” were ordered in the Baltic States. Buzz” and “ID. Buzz Cargo”, which will start its journey to its owners in the near future this year,” says Merli Ainsāre.
The goal of VW commercial transport this year is to improve production capacity, ensure market demand, and as a result, increase the volume of commercial transport in the Baltics by 30%. The brand’s ambitions are also confirmed by the goal of taking the leading position in the BEV segment with the “ID. Buzz” family of cars. The premieres of “ID. Buzz” and “ID. Buzz Cargo” at the beginning of this year will be followed by the long-awaited and completely new “VW Amarok” already in May.
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