The Chinese automobile market for the half year grew by 5.6%

26 July 2018

The volume of car production in China during January-June 2018 rose by 4.2%

Alexander Klimov, photos autohome.com.cn

The growth rate of the Chinese automobile market (all vehicles total) slow down. So, for the first half of 2018, the local market grew by 5.6% over the same period 2017 to 14 million 66.5 thousand, and the production – by 4.2% to 14 million 57.7 thousand, the Share of cars of all domestic production amounted to 98.9% (13 million 899,3 thousand), an increase of 4.3%, and assembled from imported CKD-kits, respectively, and 1.1% (158,5 thousand) with a fall of 7.2%. However, in June, the numbers were more mixed, as sales rose 4.8% to 2 million 273,7 thousand, and the production – by 5.8% to 2 million 289.6 thousand, the Share of domestic equipment amounted to 98.8%, and assembled from CKD to 1.2% (26.2 thousand and -10,9%).

Naturally, the lion's share of these sales (83,7%) and in manufacturing (84,3%) were passenger cars, whose sales in China included 4 million 964,7 thousand SUVs (the sale of 35.3% of the total automobile market, or 42.2% of passenger market share), as in the production of 5 million 119.4 thousand (respectively, 36.4% and 43.2%) and also 881,9 thousand minivans – MPVs (6.3% and 7.5%, respectively) and in the production of 858 thousand (6,1% and 7,2%), but not the pickups, which are included in light trucks, which distinguishes the Chinese statistics (by SAAM) from the North American, where the last three categories are included in the class of Light Trucks. But in China there is a category of Utility Vehicles, including microvena and minibike based on them. Their share in sales of the total market of 1.7% (234,7 thousand) and in manufacturing of 1.5% (215, 4 thousand), and the proportion of cars are, respectively, 2.0% and 1.8%.

But "clean" cars include a very important category of NEV, in turn including electric vehicles (BEV), rechargeable hybrids (PHEV) and vodorodnaya (FCEV). However, sales of the Chinese NEV on the portal already had the materials too important for today's global automotive industry this segment is still a purely internal Chinese market, because there is no doubt that in the near future (after 2020) electric vehicles as Chinese OEMs and leading international brands, but also in China, and will flood the world market, in fact forming its new contours.
So, the passenger car market for six months in 2018 amounted to 11 million 775,3 thousand (+4.6 per cent) and production of 11 million 853,7 million (+3,2%), of which the share of sales is the models of cars had 5 million 694 thousand (+5.5%) and 5 million 660,9 thousand (+3%) of the number produced. The share of passenger cars with a petrol engine while simply overwhelming: 95.9 per cent (of 11.29 million) in sales and 96% (of 11.37 million) in production. Accordingly, the proportion of penetration of diesel and gas (methane) car models are just miserable, respectively, only 0.2 per cent (24.9 per thousand) and 0.1% (14 thousand), and diesel since last year she fell twice, and LPG increased by 12.5%. Among the models of CKD-Assembly, there is no explanation. The share of penetration of NEV (353,8 thousand) in the market has reached 3%, and in manufacturing (353.9 thousand) – as well reached almost 3%.

By the way, the share of cars with automatic transmission made up of 57.4% (6,76 million) from the market. It is noteworthy that the share of four-wheel drive (4WD) SUVs in this segment is not dominant: 683,6 thousand from 4.97 million SUVs, which is only 13.8%, ie, only one-seventh the SUV in China can boast all-wheel drive.

By the way, cars such as the FCEV, i.e. hydrogen fuel cells in the automobile category there is not a single instance that says not so much about the lack of development of fueling infrastructure (electric buses of the type FCEV all began timidly to appear), but about the absence of supply vodorodnaya on the market and a lack of awareness of potential customers. It is also interesting that not use unlike NEV any privileges non-hybrids (HEV) is still growing at a good pace (+68.7% to 90.9 thousand), although in June and declined by 8.3% to 17.7 thousand

Among the models assembled by CKD technology a large part of it relates to SUV – 121,3 million (-7,5%) out of 158.5 thousand, i.e. over three quarters (76,5%). No hybrids, HEV or NEV battery among CKD-category is not in sight. At the same working volume of the engine, the lion's share of such models relates to 1,6–2-litre segment 121,1 thousand (+9,7%), and models 1.6 l at all. Thus, in the segment of the CKD is collected only models midsize, business and premium classes. It is also characteristic that passenger cars with a displacement over 4.0 l do not exist in China as a class in the category of CKD, and among domestic models, although in the first half of last year were still implemented it a hundred Chinese cars such krupnosortnyj motors. Obviously, the only representative in this category limousine Hongqi (Red Flag) L7 was delivered to the relevant departments, but the sedan L5 on the civilian market did not come out – a good lesson for the future to our newest top brand Aurus. Against this backdrop, even the sharp rise in prices (on average $20 000) imported models for a new round of Sino-us trade war may be for wealthy Chinese, a little prestige is above all.

the New Chinese passenger car market in the first half of 2018.