September 2020 sales: Passenger vehicles and two-wheelers register positive growth
The automobile sales performance for the month of September 2020 has been released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). It mentions a total of 26.19 lakh vehicles were manufactured in the month of September 2020, which includes passenger vehicles, three-wheelers, two-wheelers and quadricycles. Compared to the same month last year, this is a growth of 11.72 per cent as a total of 23.55 lakh vehicles were manufactured.
In terms of domestic sales, a total of 2.72 lakh passenger vehicles were sold in September 2020, as compared to 2.15 lakh units in September 2019, registering a growth of 26.45 per cent. Even two-wheelers saw a positive trend with a sale of 18.49 lakh units in September 2020 as compared to 16.56 lakh units in September 2019, witnessing a positive growth of 11.64 per cent. However, the three-wheelers saw a decline of 71.91 per cent with a sale of 18,640 units in September 2020 as compared to 66,362 units in September 2019
The July-September 2020 quarterly performance again was positive for passenger vehicles with a sale of 7.26 lakh units in September 2020, compared to 6.20 lakh units in September 2019, clocking a growth of 17.02 per cent. Two-wheelers too registered a growth but a marginal 0.17 per cent as the numbers stood at 46.90 lakh units in September 2020 as compared to 46.82 units last year in September. Taking a beating were commercial vehicles and three-wheelers. CVs saw a sale of 13.35 lakh units as compared to 16.71 lakh units last year, seeing a decline of 20.13 per cent. Three-wheelers were hit real bad with a decline of 74.63 per cent in September 2020 with a sale of 45,902 units as compared to 1.80 lakh units in September 2019. The total production of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three-wheelers, two-wheelers and quadricycle stood at 66.98 lakh units as compared to 72.09 lakh units in September 2019, marking degrowth of 7.08 per cent.
The half-yearly sales performance, however, saw a decline for all the automobile sectors, which can be blamed on the shut down of manufacturing plans, showrooms due to the nationwide lockdown restricting movement completely. A total of 8.79 lakh units of passenger vehicles were sold in April-September 2020 as compared to 13.33 lakh units during the same period last year, seeing a decline of 34 per cent. The two-wheeler sales stood at 59.8 lakh units in April-September 2020, compared to 96.95 lakh units in April-September 2019, down by 38.28 per cent. Three-wheeler sales were 58,662 units in April-September 2020 compared to 3.30 lakh units in April-September 2019, down by 82.26 per cent. Commercial Vehicle sales were 1.65 lakh units in April-September 2020 compared to 3.75 lakh units in April- September 2019, down by 56.01 per cent.
Kenichi Ayukawa, President, SIAM
"The Indian automotive industry is working hard amidst this tough COVID-19 situation to increase production and sales while ensuring the safety of customers and employees across the whole value chain. In Quarter-2 some segments have shown signs of recovery. Passenger Vehicles and TwoWheelers are positive, although on a very low base of the previous year. We are expecting good demand in the festive season starting tomorrow. Thanks to government intervention, auto loan interest rates are below 8%, the lowest in a decade and that should encourage customers to purchase new vehicles. Commercial vehicle and three-wheeler sales are still in the negative growth zone. We are proud that with the last of crash safety standards implemented in October 2020, India is almost at par with Europe on safety and emission standards. The Indian Automobile industry will continue to contribute to the economy, environment and society" commented, Kenichi Ayukawa, President, SIAM
