Passenger Vehicle Wholesales In India Touch Record Highs In September On Robust Festive Demand

The industry reported record dispatches at 3,63,733 units in September, surpassing it’s previous best month number of 3,60,700 units in August this year. 

Hyundai Motor India reported a 13 per cent increase in it’s total wholesales last month, while Tata Motors reported a 2 per cent increase in it’s total domestic vehicle sales in September this year.

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Passenger vehicle wholesales in India touched new record levels in September as carmakers ensured to stock up dealers’ inventories to meet the strong demand in the festive season. The industry reported record dispatches at 3,63,733 units in September, surpassing it’s previous best month number of 3,60,700 units in August this year. 

Maruti Suzuki India’s senior executive officer (marketing and sales), Shashank Srivastava, noted that this marks the highest-ever September for the Indian passenger vehicle industry. He said it also marks the highest ever in any month till now, reported PTI. 

Conversing with reporters in a virtual press conference, Srivastava said that dispatches increased in September as dealers geared up for the festive season demand. “Last month also witnessed robust demand in western and southern states due to various festivals which see an increase in car sales. Another reason is better availability of cars due to chip supplies stabilising,” he added. 

The carmaker also noted it’s total wholesales increased 3 per cent YoY in September to 1,81,343 units, recording it’s best month ever. Last year, Maruti Suzuki India dispatched 1,76,306 units in the same month. The company’s total domestic passenger vehicle sales increased by 2 per cent to 1,50,812 units in September this year, up from 1,48,380 units in the same period last year. The carmaker’s total sales in the April-September period crossed the 10 lakh sales mark. The company dispatched 10,50,085 units in the period, against 9,85,326 units in the same period in previous fiscal year. 

Notably, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, and Toyota reported their record monthly wholesales last month as the carmakers increased supplies to help dealers meet the robust demand due to the ongoing festive season. Mahindra & Mahindra also noted September as it’s highest ever wholesale month at 41,267 units, up by 20 per cent from 34,262 units reported in September last year. 

Commenting on the sales, Srivastava said, “The wholesales were also the best ever for the passenger vehicle industry in the April-September quarter. And it is the first time that in nine months till September, the industry passenger vehicles sales have crossed the 30-lakh unit mark, which means that we are on course to reach 40-lakh unit mark both for the financial year as well as the calendar year. It is for the first time ever that the industry has breached the 20-lakh unit sales mark in the April-September period.”

Hyundai Motor India also reported a 13 per cent increase in it’s total wholesales to 71,641 units in September, up from 63,201 units in the same period last year. This month marked the highest ever in terms of wholesales for the company. The domestic sales for the company increased by 9 per cent to 54,241 units, from 49,700 units in September last year. Hyundai Motor India’s COO, Tarun Garg, said, “While the industry grew by 2 per cent last month, our domestic dispatches were up 9 per cent. The share of SUV sales in our overall volumes continues to grow.”

Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported a 53 per cent increase in it’s wholesales to 23,590 units in September this year, up from 15,378 units dispatched in the same period last year. Tata Motors also reported a 2 per cent increase in it’s total domestic vehicle sales at 82,023 units last month, compared to 80,633 units in the same period last year.