The Indian auto industry maintained its growth momentum across all segments with robust vehicles sales registered in the month of May.
Production
The industry produced a total 2,732,973 vehicles including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three-wheelers, two-wheelers and quadricycles in May 2018 as against 2,427,722 in May 2017, registering a growth of 15.16 per cent over the same period last year.
Domestic sales
The sale of passenger vehicles grew by 19.65 per cent in May 2018 over the same period last year. Within the passenger vehicles, the sales for passenger cars, utility vehicles & vans grew by 19.64 per cent, 17.53 per cent and 29.54 per cent respectively in May 2018 over the same period last year.
The overall commercial vehicles segment registered a growth of 43.06 per cent in May 2018 as compared to the same period last year. Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCVs) increased by 80.23 per cent and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) grew by 26.15 per cent in May 2018 over the same period last year. The sharp rise in sales, especially in M&HCVs, needs to be viewed in the backdrop of low base last year after the change over from BS-III to BS-IV.
Three-wheeler sales increased by 51.97 per cent in May 2018 over the same period last year. Within the three-wheelers, passenger carrier sales registered a growth of 65.20 per cent and goods carriers grew by 13.99 per cent in May 2018 over May 2017.
Two-wheelers sales registered a growth at 9.19 per cent in May 2018 over May 2017. Within the two-wheeler segment, while scooter sales declined marginally by (-) 1.40 per cent, sale of motorcycles and mopeds grew by 15.16 per cent and 4.01 per cent respectively in May 2018 over the same month last year.
Exports
In May 2018, the overall automobile exports grew by 23.84 per cent. Exports of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three-wheelers and two-wheelers registered a growth of 3.45 per cent, 21.40 per cent, 70.32 per cent and 23.49 per cent respectively in May 2018 over the same period last year.