Coronavirus outbreak: China auto sales sees biggest monthly drop of 79 percent

  • For the first time in 15 years, China witnessed such a massive drop in car sales figures owing to coronavirus outbreak and other factors.
Cars travel on Yanan Road, a main commercial area in Hangzhou, after the city imposed new measures to prevent and control the new coronavirus, in China. (REUTERS)
Cars travel on Yanan Road, a main commercial area in Hangzhou, after the city imposed new measures to prevent and control the new coronavirus, in China.

Auto sales in China plunged 79% in February, marking their biggest ever monthly decline, with demand pummelled by the coronavirus outbreak.

Sales in the world's biggest auto market tumbled to 310,000 vehicles from the same month a year earlier, falling for a 20th straight month, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said.

Also check these Vehicles

Find more Cars
Tesla Model S (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
BatteryCapacity Icon75 kWh Range Icon396 km
₹70 Lakhs - 1 Cr
View Details
Tesla Model 3 (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
BatteryCapacity Icon82kWh Range Icon 555 km
₹ 70 - 90 Lakhs
View Details
Nissan Sunny 2024 (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
Engine Icon1498.0 cc FuelType IconDiesel
₹ 8.50 Lakhs
View Details
Nissan Juke (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
Engine Icon998.0 cc FuelType IconPetrol
₹ 10 - 15 Lakhs
View Details
Nissan Leaf (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
₹ 30 Lakhs
View Details
Nissan Qashqai (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
Engine Icon998.0 cc FuelType IconPetrol
₹ 25 - 30 Lakhs
View Details

"China's auto sales for February returned levels not seen since 2005," said Chen Shihua, a senior association official.

Sales of new energy vehicles, which include battery-electric cars, contracted for an eighth month in a row.

A CAAM official told Reuters last month that sales are likely to drop by more than 10% in the first half of this year. If the outbreak is effectively contained in China before April, the decline could be around 5% for the whole year, he added.

In Hubei province where the outbreak began and which is a major car manufacturing hub responsible for nearly 10% of China's output, Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd and its partners Honda Motor, Renault SA and Peugeot SA have all said they are delaying the restart of production.

Tesla's production and delivery plans in Shanghai, have also been disrupted.

However, after authorities in Wuhan on Wednesday lifted restrictions on a limited number of key industries in the city and allowed some people to return to work, Honda resumed limited output at a car plant in the city.

Nissan Motor has also said it plans to partially resume production in Xiangyang, another city in Hubei, as well as its plant in Zhengzhou, Henan.

Industry-wide auto sales fell 8.2% last year, pressured by new emission standards in a shrinking economy and trade tensions with the United States.

First Published Date: 12 Mar 2020, 12:56 PM IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS

Please provide your details to get Personalized Offers on

Choose city
+91 | Choose city
Choose city
Choose city

Want to get the best price for your existing car?

Powered by: Spinny Logo
By clicking "View Offers" you Agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy

Dear Name

Please verify your mobile number.

+91 | Choose city
Couldn't verify the OTP.
It's either expired or it's incorrect.