A brief analysis of the production and sales of passenger car segments in August 2013
author：开云（中国）kaiyun·官方网页版newstime：2013-09-17
Analysis of the Chinese Automotive Market in the First Half of 2013
According to statistics and analysis by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), the first half of 2013 saw both automobile production and sales surpassing 10 million units, with year-on-year growth exceeding 10%. The overall trend was stable growth. Here is a detailed analysis:
1.Stable and Rapid Growth in Automobile Production and Sales
In 2013, despite a complex and volatile domestic and international environment, the central government maintained a stable and progressive work tone, focusing on improving economic growth quality and efficiency, accelerating transformation and structural adjustment. The national economy operated steadily, with the automotive industry, as a vital pillar industry, showing stable and rapid growth in production, sales, and economic benefits, contributing significantly to the national economy.
In the first half of the year, China’s automobile production and sales both surpassed the 10 million mark, reaching 10.7517 million and 10.7822 million units respectively, with year-on-year growth of 12.8% and 12.3%, exceeding expectations.
The automotive industry had a good start this year, with production and sales growth rates exceeding 10% in the first quarter. The growth rates for April, May, and June were 15.3%, 13.5%, and 9.3%, respectively. Although the growth rate slightly declined, it remained stable overall.
2.Passenger Vehicles Driving Overall Growth
There were significant differences in the growth rates of various automobile models in the first half of the year, with passenger vehicle growth outpacing commercial vehicles, driving the overall rapid growth in automobile production and sales.
Passenger vehicle production and sales reached 8.6645 million and 8.6651 million units, up 14% and 13.8% year-on-year, respectively, with growth rates increasing by 6.1 and 6.7 percentage points from the same period last year. Among these, SUV production and sales growth both exceeded 40%, indicating continued strong demand; sedan production and sales growth were 11.8% and 11.7%, lower than the overall passenger vehicle growth, remaining stable overall. The classification of MPVs and crossover passenger vehicles changed, with MPV production and sales increasing by 132.4% and 128.2% year-on-year, and crossover passenger vehicles decreasing by 23% and 22.5% year-on-year. According to the original classification, MPV production and sales increased by 19.8% and 19.2%, while crossover vehicles grew by 0.4% and 0.2%.
The sales proportion of small-displacement passenger vehicles increased. Vehicles with 1.6 liters or less accounted for 68.5% of total passenger vehicle sales, up 1.3 percentage points from the same period last year; sedans with 1.6 liters or less accounted for 73.1% of total sedan sales, up 2.8 percentage points from the same period last year.
3.Commercial Vehicle Production and Sales Above Last Year’s Level
Influenced by economic restructuring and other factors, commercial vehicle production and sales have been sluggish in recent years. In the first half of this year, commercial vehicle production and sales recovered, exceeding last year's levels with gradually increasing growth rates.
Production and sales of commercial vehicles reached 2.0872 million and 2.1171 million units, up 8.2% and 6.7% year-on-year, respectively, compared to negative growth rates last year. All five categories of commercial vehicles showed production and sales growth over last year, with buses up 14.8% and 14.9%, standing out; trucks up 7% and 5.5%; semi-trailers up 17.8% and 13.4%; incomplete buses and trucks also saw growth. Policy factors related to the growth of trucks, especially diesel heavy trucks, are being analyzed.
4.Decline in Market Share of Chinese Brand Passenger Vehicles, Increase in Sedans
Sales of Chinese brand passenger vehicles reached 3.5667 million units, up 13.2% year-on-year, accounting for 41.2% of total passenger vehicle sales, down 0.2 percentage points from the same period last year. Four months had lower market shares compared to the same period last year. Although the decline in market share has narrowed compared to last year, the situation remains severe. While overall competitiveness has improved significantly, there is still a gap compared to foreign brands.
Sales of Chinese brand sedans reached 1.6153 million units, up 13.5% year-on-year, accounting for 27.7% of total sedan sales, up 0.4 percentage points from the same period last year.
Sales of German, Japanese, American, Korean, and French brand passenger vehicles were 1.6766 million, 1.281 million, 1.0523 million, 791.3 thousand, and 276.9 thousand units, respectively, accounting for 19.4%, 14.8%, 12.1%, 9.1%, and 3.2% of total passenger vehicle sales. German and Korean brands increased by 1.5 and 1.3 percentage points from the same period last year; although the market share of Japanese brands decreased by 4.2 percentage points, it has improved significantly compared to the situation after September last year, showing a monthly upward trend in the first half of this year.
Sales of German, Japanese, American, Korean, and French brand sedans were 1.4631 million, 979.5 thousand, 915.5 thousand, 595.3 thousand, and 252.3 thousand units, accounting for 25.1%, 16.8%, 15.7%, 10.2%, and 4.3% of total sedan sales.
5.Automobile Exports Below Last Year’s Level
According to CAAM, complete vehicle exports reached 486.8 thousand units in the first half of the year, down 0.6% year-on-year. Passenger vehicle exports were 294.3 thousand units, up 2.3%; commercial vehicle exports were 192.5 thousand units, down 4.8%. The top five countries with the largest declines in export volume were Iraq, Venezuela, Iran, Vietnam, and Turkey. The sluggish international market and the appreciation of the RMB had a significant negative impact on automobile exports.
According to CAAM’s analysis of customs data, the total value of automobile imports and exports from January to May was USD 60.976 billion, down 4.6% year-on-year. Imports amounted to USD 30.458 billion, down 12.3%; exports amounted to USD 30.518 billion, up 4.6%.
From January to May, complete vehicle imports reached 423.9 thousand units, down 17.1% year-on-year; import value was USD 17.52 billion, down 21.1%. Sedan imports were 159.6 thousand units, down 22.8%; SUV imports were 174.4 thousand units, down 10.6%; small bus imports were 76.6 thousand units, down 8.1%. These three categories accounted for 96.9% of total vehicle imports.
From January to May, complete vehicle exports reached 392.9 thousand units, up 11.1% year-on-year; export value was USD 5.05 billion, up 0.6%. Sedan exports were 178.9 thousand units, up 13.5%; truck exports were 124.3 thousand units, down 2.3%; bus exports were 61.8 thousand units, up 48.1%. These three categories accounted for 92.9% of total vehicle exports.
6.Increased Market Concentration
In the first half of the year, the top ten automotive groups by sales volume collectively sold 9.5139 million units, up 13.4% year-on-year, 1.1 percentage points higher than the overall industry growth rate. This accounted for 88.2% of total vehicle sales, up 0.8 percentage points from the same period last year.
7.Rapid Growth in Production and Sales of Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicles
According to incomplete statistics by CAAM, production and sales of new energy vehicles showed significant growth in the first half of the year. Production of new energy vehicles was 5,885 units, up 56.3% year-on-year, including 5,111 pure electric vehicles and 774 plug-in hybrid vehicles. Sales of new energy vehicles were 5,889 units, up 42.7% year-on-year, including 5,114 pure electric vehicles and 775 plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Production of ordinary hybrid vehicles was 9,388 units, sales were 10,048 units, up 1.6 times and 1.7 times year-on-year, respectively.
Production of natural gas vehicles was 43,898 units, sales were 43,562 units, up 1.1 times and 1 time year-on-year, respectively.
8.Economic Benefits of Enterprises Growing with Production and Sales
According to CAAM's statistics from January to May, the major economic indicators of 17 key automotive enterprises (groups) showed that industrial output value and operating revenue grew by 14.5% and 11.4% year-on-year, respectively. Total profits and total taxes grew by 18.4% and 18.2%, respectively. The economic benefits of enterprises were generally in sync with the growth in production and sales, indicating good overall economic operation in the automotive industry.
Among the enterprises, there were significant
