Sales of new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (LCV) in Russia increased in April 2021 by almost 4 times compared to April 2020 to 151,900 units, follows from the data of the Association of European Businesses (AEB).
“April 2021 was marked by an increase in the level of sales of new cars by 290.4%, or 113,042 units, compared to April 2020, sales amounted to 151,964 vehicles,” the AEB reports. According to the results of five months of sales, the growth turned out to be more modest – it amounted to 24.3% to 515,900 vehicles. In April 2019, 148,300 new passenger cars and LCVs were sold in Russia, which is 2.4% less than the result of the same period in 2021.
The four largest locally assembled manufacturers are particularly strong compared to last year, when they were hit hardest by a lockdown, said Thomas Stärzel, head of the AEB automakers committee. Thus, sales of Avtovaz in April increased 4 times to 37,900 vehicles, Kia – 4.4 times to 19,100, Hyundai – 6.4 times to 15,500, Renault – 4.5 times to almost 14,000 cars. The leaders in April sales were Lada Granta, Lada Vesta, Kia Rio, Hyundai Creta and Lada Niva, it follows from the statistics.
“So far, this year’s sales confirm our forecast of a 2.1% year-end market growth year-on-year, and once the market is back on track, the automakers committee may be able to revise its forecast in July. To further stabilize demand and business, measures of state support are still needed, ”Stärzel emphasizes.
In Russia, April 2020 was declared inoperative amid the spread of coronavirus infection. As a result, the AEB recorded in April the largest monthly drop in sales in the entire history of observations – by 72.4% to 39,000 vehicles. May was only slightly better, with the market falling 51.8% to 63,000 cars. Sales began to recover only in June, when the authorities gradually began to lift the covid restrictions.
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