BERLIN — Volkswagen Group reported its lowest gross sales in over a decade in 2022 as COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the battle in Ukraine upended provide chains, and a fourth-quarter restoration dangers operating into additional challenges this yr.

The group, whose manufacturers vary from mass-market VWs and Skodas to premium Audis and Bentleys, mentioned on Thursday in a press release that demand dropped 7 p.c to eight.3 million autos final yr. Gross sales of full-electric vehicles fared higher nevertheless, rising 26 p.c. The ID4 and ID5 have been the best-selling electrical fashions.

The general gross sales tally signifies the group will stay in second place globally for the third yr in a row behind Japan’s Toyota Group, which by November had already produced over 9.5 million vehicles.

VW Group gross sales rose 14 p.c within the fourth quarter, however the outlook for 2023 stays clouded by weak economies and supply-chain shortages, prolonged govt gross sales committee member Hildegard Wortmann mentioned.

Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley weathered 2022 higher than VW model and Skoda, with deliveries down round 4 p.c on the premium manufacturers and down 9 p.c for mass-market autos.

Excessive-end automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz earlier this week additionally reported a smaller decline in gross sales than some mass-market rivals, with falls of 5.1 p.c and 1 p.c respectively.

Each BMW and Mercedes gross sales additionally picked up within the fourth quarter as provide chains improved and China relaxed its COVID-19 insurance policies, although some corporations have warned rising instances within the nation amongst employees might nonetheless stymie output.

The VW Group’s deliveries have been up 12 p.c within the second half of the yr, however the full-year determine was dragged down by a drop of over a fifth within the first half.

Nonetheless, it maintained its place as Europe’s high electric-vehicle maker and noticed a 26 p.c rise in EV gross sales globally, boosted by a rise of virtually two-thirds in China.

The group is aiming for all-electric gross sales in 2023 to be 11 p.c of the overall, a stepping stone to its 2030 goal of constructing half of all gross sales full electrical.