Taiwan’s new vehicle market rebounded by 17% to 32,631 units in June 2022 from weak year earlier sales of 27,930 units, according to the Directorate of Highways, as falling covid cases helped bring consumers back into showrooms.
That followed three months of decline with sales also held back by the global shortage of semiconductors and by weakening consumer sentiment amid surging global commodity and energy prices and rising interest rates.
Vehicle sales in the first half of the year were down 8% to 203,151 units from 221,809 a year earlier, with domestic sales falling 2% to 115,516 units. Import sales were down 15% at 87,635 units.
Toyota sales were unchanged at 60,546 units year to date, supported by strong demand for the locally assembled Corolla Cross hybrid which is now the country’s best selling vehicle model.
The company launched its new purpose built, battery powered bZ4X SUV in May, imported from Japan. It expected overall electric vehicle (EV) sales to almost double to 13,000 units this year from 6,982 in 2021.
Honda H1 sales increased by almost 5% to 13,372 units, underpinned by strong demand for the new CR-V SUV, and Ford sales were down 12% to 12,224 units, Nissan 11,745 units (-18%), Mercedes-Benz 11,659 units (-25%) and China Motor 11,247 units (-8%).
Yulon Motor said earlier last month it expected new vehicle market to shrink by 3% to 436,000 units this year with the reopening of Shanghai expected to ease component shortages and improve vehicle supply in the second half.