Passenger vehicle sales dip 66% in May amid Covid disruptions: Siam

Passenger vehicle wholesales— dispatches from factory gates to the dealerships—declined monthon-month by 66 per cent to

88,045 units in May as compared to April as lockdowns across various states impacted dispatches to dealers, auto industry trade lobby the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, or Siam, said on Friday.

Passenger vehicle wholesales in April stood at

2,61,633 units.

Since both May 2020 and May 2021 were abnormal months because of the

Covid-19 situation and lockdowns, comparison of these two months holds no meaning. But a comparison of May 2021 sales with April this year, presents a realistic picture.

Siam said two-wheeler dispatches to dealers dropped by 65 per cent to

3,52,717 units compared with 9,95,097 units in April.

Motorcycle sales declined 56 per cent last month to 2,95,257 units as against 6,67,841 units in April.

Similarly, scooter sales were down 83 per cent to

50,294 units, from 3,00,462 units in April this year.

Three-wheeler sales declined by 91 per cent to

1,251 units as compared to

13,728 units in April. Vehicle sales across categories witnessed a decline of 65 per cent to 4,42,013 units last month, as against 12,70,458 units in April this year.

“Most part of May was under lockdown due to

Covid-19 in many states, thus, impacting overall sales and production. Many members had shut down their manufacturing plants to divert oxygen from industrial use for medical purposes,” Rajesh Menon, director general at Siam said.

Last month, Maruti Suzuki, India’s biggest carmaker despatched

32,903 cars to its dealer partners, down from

1,35,879 units in April.

Similarly, Hyundai Motor India’s wholesales last month dropped to 25,001 units compared with

49,002 units in April.

Kia India delivered

11,050 units, while Mahindra & Mahindra dispatched 8,004 passenger vehicle units to their respective showrooms last month as compared with

16,111 and 18,285 units respectively, in April for the automakers.

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations, or Fada, said total vehicle retail sales in the country declined by 55 per cent in May due to Covid restrictions to 5,35,855 units compared with 11,85,374 units in April this year.

The passenger vehicle sales dropped by 59 per cent at 85,733 units in May as compared with 2,08,883 units in April this year.