India's automobile companies clocked in dismal sales in May as the country battered the second wave and various governments rushed to lockdown states to contain the spread. Auto majors such as Maruti Suzuki, M&M and Tata Motors reported a decline in sale in May.
The sales were drawn down as a spike in COVID-19 cases and lockdowns across various states hit dispatches.
Maruti Suzuki
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Tuesday reported a 71 per cent decline in total sales to 46,555 units in May as compared to 1,59,691 units in April. The auto major had also shut production from May 1 through May 16 so as to divert oxygen from industrial use for medical purposes.
MSI said its domestic dispatches to dealers last month stood at 35,293 units, down 75 per cent from 1,42,454 units in April. Sales of mini cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, declined by 81 per cent to 4,760 units in May as against 25,041 units in April this year. Sales of compact segment vehicles, including Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and Dzire, declined by 72 per cent to 20,343 units from 72,318 cars in April.
Sales of mid-sized sedan Ciaz, declined to 349 units as compared to 1,567 units in April this year. Utility vehicle sales, including Vitara Brezza, S-Cross and Ertiga, declined 75 per cent to 6,355 units as against 25,484 in April, MSI said.
Exports in May were down 35 per cent at 11,262 units as against 17,237 units in April this year.
Tata Motors
Tata Motors saw its total domestic sales decline by 38 per cent to 24,552 units in May as compared to 39,530 vehicles in April this year. The company had sold 4,418 units in May last year. The auto major said its passenger vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 15,181 units in May, down 40 per cent from 25,095 units in April this year.
Commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 9,371 units, down 35 per cent from 14,435 units in April, it added.
Bajaj Auto
Meanwhile, Bajaj Auto reported 114 per cent growth in its total vehicle sales at 2,71,862 units in May compared to the same month last year. The company had sold 1,27,128 vehicles in May last year, Bajaj Auto said in a statement.
The total domestic sales logged 52 per cent growth at 60,830 units as compared to 40,074 units sold in May 2020, while the total exports spiked 142 per cent to 2,11,032 units over 87,054 units shipped out in May 2020, the company said.
The total two-wheeler sales increased 113 per cent to 2,40,554 units in May 2021 from 112, 798 units in the same month of 2020, it said.
During the month, the domestic two-wheelers sales stood at 60,342 units, a growth of 54 per cent over 39, 286 two wheelers sold in May last year while exports grew 145 per cent to 180, 212 units in the month as against 73,512 vehicles in May 2020.
The commercial vehicles sales, including exports, were 31,308 units in May 2021 as compared to 14,330 vehicles in the same month of 2020, registering a growth of 118 per cent.
Toyota
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Tuesday reported total sales of 707 units in May. The company had reported wholesales of 9,622 units in April and 1,639 units in May last year.
Even before the state-wide lockdown was declared in Karnataka, the company had announced its annual maintenance shutdown at its plant in Bidadi from April 26 until May 14, so as to enhance its operational efficiencies, the automaker said in a statement.
M&M
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) said its total sales declined by 52 per cent to 17,447 units in May as compared with April this year. The Mumbai-based auto major had dispatched 36,437 units to dealers in March this year.
Passenger vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 8,004 units last month, down 56 per cent from 18,285 units in April 2021. Commercial vehicles sales declined by 53 per cent to 7,508 units in May as against 16,147 units in April this year.
The company said its exports last month stood at 1,935 units in May as compared with 2,005 units in April.
MG Motor India
MG Motor India clocked in sales of 1,016 units in May 2021. The retail business was severely impacted as almost all markets remained closed during the lockdown for most part of the month of May 2021, the company said in a statement.
The company had sold 710 units in May last year, when sales were impacted by the nationwide lockdown. Production levels also remain impacted by the shortage of semiconductor chips globally, the carmaker said.
Hyundai
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) reported total sales of 30,703 units in May, a decline of 48 per cent from 59,203 units it had sold in April this year. Domestic sales stood at 25,001 units last month as against 49,002 units in April, a dip of 49 per cent.
Exports were at 5,702 units last month, down 44 per cent from 10,201 units in April, the company said in a statement.
(With PTI inputs)
