Demand for new vehicles in Australia has continued to grow during July with an increase of 16.1% on the same month last year, against a background of local COVID-19 restrictions and continuing supply chain challenges.
A total of 84,161 vehicles were sold across Australia compared with 72,505 during the corresponding month last year. Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory all recorded growth greater than 20% compared with 2020, while New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory recorded a decline.
“The growth of 16.1% shows the underlying strength, confidence and resilience in the market in spite of the challenges being presented due to lockdowns and ongoing delivery issues caused by microprocessor shortages and shipping delays,” said Tony Weber CEO FCAI. “The Light Commercial segment increased by 40.9% on July last year while SUV sales are up by 15%. We are also seeing the trend of restocking in the rental segment, with growth of 231.4% reflecting the increasing demand for local tourism and travel.”
Weber went on to say that significant this month was the strong demand for Electric (EV) and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV) in Victoria and NSW where the state governments have introduced a road user charge offset by consumer grants and continuing infrastructure investment. In Victoria, EV sales were up 191.1% and PHEV up 161.3% compared with July 2020, while in NSW, EV sales increased by 260% and PHEV by 84.9%.