As the rest of the automotive sector stalls or shifts into reverse, sales of Chinese new automobiles are rising rapidly in Australia.
Despite production interruptions and delivery slowdowns caused by parts shortages affecting the global automotive industry during the pandemic, Chinese brands MG, LDV, and Great Wall Motors Haval (now known as GWM Haval) have continued to post record sales results in Australia (one of the few key Right Hand Drive markets) this year.
Sales of new Chinese automobiles soared by an astounding 55 percent over the first four months of this calendar year (January 2022 to April 2022) as compared to the same period last year in the Australian market, which was down by 3.5 percent.
MG, which had a quick surge into the Top 10 brands after being placed 30th in 2018, 21st in 2019, and 17th in 2020 – continues to outperform its Chinese competitors, with over 16,000 new vehicles delivered, representing a 36.7 percent increase in sales.
MG is now ranked seventh in terms of year-to-date sales. Other Chinese companies, such as LDV, which sold 4,800 units in the first four months of this year, up 13.7 percent, and GWM Haval, which sold 4,200 units, up 6.1 percent, are also competing.
For the first time in a calendar year, new automobiles from China now rank fourth in Australia behind Japan, Thailand, and South Korea — ahead of models from the United States and Germany. In 2021, MG recorded just shy of 40,000 new motor cars sold in Australia, which is more than quadruple the previous year’s figure.
Meanwhile, GWM Haval claimed 18,000 new automobiles sold in Australia in 2021, more than tripling its previous year’s total. The LDV brand, which specializes in pickups and vans, reported a record 15,000 new vehicle sales, a 62 percent rise over the previous year.
To read our blog on “PM has ordered the delivery of Rs. 50 billion to Chinese IPPs,” click here.
