China wholesales November 2021: Wuling, BYD, MG and 12 domestic brands break volume records in market off -9.1%

Wuling scores its first six-digit monthly volume this month.

According to data by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), new vehicle wholesales continue to reduce their fall in November at -9.1% year-on-year to 2,522,000 units vs. -9.4% in October. This figure is split between 2,192,000 Passenger Vehicles (-4.7%) and 330,000 Commercial Vehicles (-30.3%). It brings the year-to-date tally to 23,489,000 units (+4.5%) including 19,060,000 Passenger Vehicles (+7.1%) and 4,429,000 Commercial Vehicles (-5.3%). The YTD tally is also up 1.5% over the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. In the Passenger Vehicle detail, SUVs are down -5% to 1,036,000 for the month, cars edge down -3.3% to 1,009,000, MPVs drop -14.7% to 108,000 and minibuses are down -0.8% to 39,000. Year-to-date, SUVs are up 7.6% to 8,959,000, cars gain 7.1% to 8,809,000, MPVs are up 3.4% to 942,000 and minibuses up 2.6% to 350,000.

BYD also breaks its volume record thanks partly to the Han.

Chinese brands of Passenger Vehicles continue to defy the negative context with sales up 7.2% to 1,022,000 and 46.6% share vs. 41.4% a year ago. As we will see further down, year-on-year gains in November are almost the exclusivity of Chinese brands. Year-to-date, they are up 25.1% to 8,406,000 and 44.1% share vs. 37.7% over the same period in 2020. New Energy Vehicle sales continue to break records, up 121.1% year-on-year in November to 450,000 or a 17.8% market share, including 427,000 New Energy Passenger Vehicles (+125.9%) or a 19.5% share. This is in turn split between 339,000 BEV (+116.1%) and 88,000 PHEV (+174%). Year-to-date, New Energy PVs are up 177.6% to 2,837,000 including 2,318,000 BEV (+185.3%) and 519,000 PHEV (+147.6%). Finally exports are up 59% year-on-year in November to 200,000 including 170,000 Passenger Vehicles and 32.9% NEV. Year-to-date, the export volume more than doubles to 1,793,000 units including 1,427,000 PVs.

MG also hits a record high volume, helped by an all-time high score by the ZS.

In the brands ranking, Volkswagen (-27.6%) continues to suffer and endures the steepest year-on-year fall in the Top 10. Solid results by the CC (+105.1%), Viloran (+46.3%), Passat (+25.6%), ID.4 CROZZ (record 5,187), Lavida (-3.3%) and T-Cross (-7.1%) can’t compensate freefalls by the Tacqua (-78.2%), Phideon (-67.8%), Bora (-67.6%), Polo (-60.9%), Tayron (-50.8%), Magotan (-47%), Teramont (-43.2%), Santana (-43%) and Sagitar (-38%). Toyota (+7.2%) reclaims the 2nd spot it holds year-to-date, helped by strong scores by the Wildlander (+62.8% to a record 18,043), Camry (+33.4%), Highlander (+11.5%) and new Crown Kluger (6,043) while the RAV4 (-0.1%) and Levin (+0.6%) are stable. In third place, Honda (-10.5%) falls slightly faster than the market as the Inspire (+44.4% yo a record 10,054), Breeze (+26.4%), XR-V (+19.9%), Vezel (+13.5%), Elysion (+6%) and Accord (+3.7%) aren’t able to balance off declines by the Avancier (-70.9%), CR-V (-43.3%) and UR-V (-56.6%).

Xpeng soars 235.8% year-on-year with all its models breaking volume records including the P7.

Geely (-17.1%) returns to the #1 domestic position it holds so far this year, but declines quite significantly despite new volume records by its flagship the Xingyue L (11,083) and the Binyue (17,068) and a strong Xingrui (+81%). The best performers are below: Wuling surges 46.9% to its first ever six-digit sales figure thanks to record results by the Hongguang MINI EV (+61.4% to 45,576) and Xingchen (15,603). BYD (+83.9%) also hits its highest ever monthly volume this month, propped by record showings by the new Qin PLUS (28,151), Song (25,077), Han (12,702) and new Dolphin (8,809). Nissan (-25.2%), Buick (-26.4%) and Changan (-24.2%) all have a forgettable month, while Chery (+16.8%) rounds out the Top 10 in dynamic fashion. Just outside, MG (+56.4%) smashes its volume record to just under 70,000 units. Tesla (+144.7%), Dongfeng (+48.4%), GAC (+23.7%), Chevrolet (+11.7%), Lynk & Co (+9.7%) and Hongqi (+1.5%) also sign market-defying gains in the remainder of the Top 25, illustrating the strength of domestic carmakers. 

LI smashes its volume record to 13,485.

And there’s more below, with at least 12 domestic brands breaking their all-time volume record this month, starting with Ora (+39.2%) at 16,136 including a record 8,855 by the Good Cat. Xpeng soars 235.8% to 15,613 with all its models at record high levels: the P7 (7,839), G3 (5,620) and P5 (2,154). LI sells a record 13,485 units of its One SUV (+190.2%), NIO (+105.6%) is up to a best-ever 10,878 sales, TANK (10,108) and Neta (10.013) score five-digit results for the first time while Leap Motor (+177%) Exeed (+109.1%), Weltmeister (+66.6%), Geometry (+133.5%), Lingbao (+1445.6%) and Zeekr (2,012) also reach all-time high volumes. Another notable progression is that by French manufacturers, on the rebound after years of sinking sales. Citroen (+402.1%) is up 5-fold year-on-year thanks mainly to the new C5 X (record 4,785) while Peugeot (+24.6%) also manages a significant uptick. Among brands in trouble this month we have Baojun (-82.3%), Skoda (-59.6%), Jeep (-50.2%), Kia (-47.5%), Bestune (-42.6%), Hyundai (-32.5%) and BMW (-25.2%).

The new C5 X helps Citroen up 5-fold year-on-year in November.

Looking at the models ranking, the VW Lavida (-3.3%) is back to #1 for the first time since last March, but remains a distant #3 year-to-date. The Top 3 models this month fit within 1,500 sales, with the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV (+61.4%) in 2nd place and the year-to-date leader, the Nissan Sylphy (-16.7%), in third. The Wuling Hongguang (+3.2%) manages a year-on-year lift at #4 while the Haval H6 (-41%) remains the best-selling SUV in the country but craters. The Toyota Corolla (-13.2%) is back up 12 spots on last month to #6 ahead of the BYD Qin PLUS and MG ZS (+50.6%) both notching record volumes. The Honda Civic (-2.5%) and Tesla Model Y (26,759) round out the Top 10. Other volume record-breakers not mentioned prior include the MG 5 (20,895), Haval Big Dog (10,345), GAC Trumpchi Empow (10,052), Neta V (7,027), Dongfeng Aeolus EX1 (6,131), Exeed TXL (5,189), WEY Mocha (4,776), Venucia Grand V (4,747), Hongqi H9 (4,655), NIO EC6 (3,482) and Hyundai Custo (3,158).

Previous month: China wholesales October 2021: BYD and Wuling shine in recovering market down -9.4%

One year ago: China wholesales November 2020: 12 brands break volume records in 7th straight double-digit market lift (+12.6%)

Full November 2021 Top 106 All-brands and Top 470 All-models below.