China wholesales June 2021: Toyota (-0.2%) topples VW (-50.2%) in market down -12.4%
Toyota is the best-selling carmaker in China for the first time in history.
After declining for the first time in over a year in May (-3.1%), the Chinese wholesales market accelerates its fall in June at -12.4% year-on-year to 2.015.000 units according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). The microchip shortage is one of the reasons behind this decline as June 2021 volumes are also down -2.2% on two years ago in June 2019. The year-to-date volume is now up 25.6% to 12.891.000. In June, Passenger Vehicles drop -11.1% to 1.569.000 while Commercial Vehicles sink -16.8% to 446.000. Year-to-date, Passenger Vehicles are up 27% year-on-year to 10.007.000 but down -1.4% on the same period in 2019, just as Commercial Vehicles gain 20.9% to 2.884.000. In the Passenger Vehicles detail, June SUV sales are down -9.3% year-on-year to 746.000, cars are down -11.8% to 724.000, MPVs down -21.5% to 68.000 and minivans down -11% to 31.000. Year-to-date, SUVs gain 28.6% to 4.731.000, cars are up 26.2% to 4.643.000, MPVs up 25.2% to 456.000 and minivans up 13.7% to 177.000.
NIO breaks its volume record in June…
Chinese brands buck the negative trend with a 16.5% year-on-year gain to 691.000 passenger vehicles, reaching their highest market share so far this year at 44% vs. 33.5% a year ago in June 2020. Halfway through 2020, Chinese brands leap 46.8% to 4.2 million units with a 42% market share. New Energy vehicles hit an all-time high volume at 256.000 units, up 139.3% year-on-year. It includes a record 211.000 BEVs (+145.3%) and a record 44.000 PHEV (+115.1%). Year-to-date, New Energy sales gain 201.5% to 1.206.000 units, including 1.005.000 BEVs (+222.6%) and 200.000 PHEVs (+127.5%). This way, the H1 2021 New Energy volume has already passed the Full Year 2019 score. Finally, export volumes also reach record highs in June, up 150% year-on-year to 158.000 units, 11.1% of which are New Energy vehicles. Year-to-date, exports stand at 828.000.
…as does LI…
We have an earthquake in the wholesales brands ranking: for the first time in Chinese history, Toyota (-0.2%) is the best-selling brand in the country thanks to stable volumes. The Japanese manufacturer is helped by dynamic results from the Levin (+60.6%), RAV4 (+20.2%), Camry (+14.2%), Wildlander (+9.6%), C-HR (+8.9%), Vios FS (+3.5%) and new Allion (6.807). In complete contrast, traditional leader Volkswagen (-50.2%) sees its wholesale volume slashed in two year-on-year to a paltry 117.000 units, over 30.000 less than Toyota. This is also the steepest fall in the Top 50 as the microchip shortage seems to have greatly affected VW’s production and wholesale deliveries this month. Expect the German carmaker to bounce back in the coming months, but for now it fails to place a model in the monthly Top 10 for the first time since it entered this market. The Tacqua (+379.4%), Polo (+73.6%) and new Talagon, ID.4 CROZZ, ID.4 X, ID.6 CROZZ and ID.6 X fail to compensate for a long list of abysmal scores such as the Tiguan L (-97.4%), Tayron X (-96.1%), CC (-86.4%), Tharu (-86.3%) T-Roc (-84.9%), Viloran (-82.1%), Tayron (-76.8%), Lamando (-75%), Passat (-74.4%), Phideon (-69.3%), Magotan (-68.3%) and Sagitar (-68%).
…and Xpeng.
Just 10.000 sales below Volkswagen is Honda (-32.4%) also in difficulty as the Fit (+227300%), Odyssey (+13.5%) and Elysion (+4.7%) fail to salvage sizeable skids by the Accord (-85.1%), Avancier (-80.5%) and Civic (-67%). In fact the rest of the Top 5 underperforms with Nissan (-20.8%) handicapped by imploding X-Trail volumes (-83.2%) while Geely (-15.8%) reclaims the Chinese top spot at #5 overall but fails to match the market drop rate partly due to a weak showing by its best-seller Emgrand (-40.8%) in between two generations. The remainder of the Top 10 fares much better: Changan (-5.3%) only edge down to #6 while Haval (+27.6%) is bolstered by its best-seller H6 (+27.5%) and recent launches Big Dog, Chitu and First Love all above 4.000 units. BMW (-3.1%) and Audi (-5.4%) also limit their fall just as BYD (+52.5%) soars to its first Top 10 finish in over 8 years, since March 2013, thanks to strong scores by the Song (+502.6%) and new Qin PLUS (13.541).
Outside the Top 10, Chery (+75.7%) stuns with a splendid year-on-year gain lifting it to #11 thanks to outstanding performances by its entire Tiggo SUV lineup, while Wuling (+118.9%) continues to surf on smashing success of the Hongguang MINI EV. GAC (+25.5%) is also solid, Tesla (+121.7%) scores the largest gain in the Top 30 and equals its ranking record at #16 also hit last March, with Hongqi (+75.9%), MG (+56%) and Dongfeng (+40.9%) also impressive in the remainder of the Top 20. Further down, strong gainers include Ora (+309.5%), Jetour (+132.2%), Lincoln (+130.5%), COS (+70.4%), Lynk & Co (+29.2%) and Bestune (+20%). A number of brands even break their all-time volume record this month, all Chinese: NIO (up 116.1% to 8.083), LI (up 320.6% to 7.713), TANK (7.160), Xpeng (up 484.6% to 6.565), Neta (up 285.4% to 5.138), Weltmeister (up 97.6% to 4.007) and Leap Motor (up 348.4% to 3.941).
Over in the models ranking, the Nissan Sylphy (-13.2%) almost match the market evolution to easily remain in pole position, and is followed this month by the Toyota Corolla (-5.9%) and Wuling Hongguang MINI EV scoring a third podium finish in the past 4 months. The Haval H6 (+27.5%) is up two spots on May to #4 while the Toyota Levin (+60.6%) is up 3 to #5. Note adding sales of twins Corolla, Levin and Allion leads to a whopping 65.000 units, which would be by far #1. The Tesla Model 3 (+44%) breaks into the Top 10 for the third time ever at #6, its second highest ranking below the #4 it hit in pandemic-ridden February 2020. The Changan CS75 (-0.7%) and Geely Boyue (-0.8%) follow with stable results, with the Toyota Camry (+14.2%) and RAV4 (+20.2%) rounding out the Top 10. The Lavida (-49%) is the best-selling Volkswagen this month but points at a poor #11, dropping from #3 to #5 in the year-to-date order. Volume record breakers include the BYD Qin PLUS, LI One, TANK 300, Geely Emgrand S and Xpeng P7.
Previous month: China wholesales May 2021: First market decline in over a year (-3.1%)
One year ago: China June 2020: Trucks (+63.1%), Honda (+25%) break records in strongest ever June volume (+11.6%)
Full June 2021 Top 98 All-brands and Top 455 All-models below.
