Volkswagen Suffers More Than Rivals From Auto Industry Woes NYT: Technology By:Jack Ewing 10 January 2026 at 00:00 The German automakerβs sales in the United States plunged last year, hit by tariffs and the end of tax credits for electric vehicles. Β© Jens Schlueter/Agence France-Presse β Getty ImagesElectric vehicles at a Volkswagen plant in Dresden, Germany. The company is an extreme example of how difficult it has been for foreign automakers to cope in the U.S. car market.