The enrollments of cars and SUVs in the month of July they decreased by 11% compared to the same period last year, until 116,686 units, with one working day more than in July 2018. It is the first time since 2012 that the deliveries of these vehicles fall in a month of July, traditionally one of the best months for the sale of cars in Spain. This month of July it manages to exceed 100,000 units, but does not exceed the volumes registered in previous months. In spite of the more working day, the advancement of purchases due to the entry into force of the new regulations for the measurement of WLTP emissions, which was intense in the channels of companies and renters, causes the rate of decline, by comparison, to be important, especially for renters. In the first seven months of the year, deliveries of passenger cars and SUVs fall a 6.5%, up to 809,159 units.
The sales in the private channel continue to fall at a double digit rate, as in the previous months, with a decrease of 13% and 57,952 units. In the accumulated year, deliveries to individuals have fallen by 12.5%, to 353,398 units. Last year, business and rental channels advanced a good portion of purchases for fleet renewal to the months prior to September, when the WLTP entered into force. The comparison of this month of July with the same period last year is negative, with special emphasis on renters.
In July, they have enrolled 19,963 light commercial vehicles. It represents an increase in sales of 4.7% compared to the same month last year. The channel that grows the most is the renter with a rise of about 21% in the month, to 2,365 units. In the first seven months, the sale of these vehicles records a 2.7% growth, with 135,745 units.
Industrial and buses
The enrollments of industrial vehicles, buses, coaches and minibuses they have been reduced again, as they had been several months in this year, a 21.4%, with 1,752 units. In the accumulated year, however, the sales of these vehicles maintain the positive figures, with an increase of 1.6% and 16,483 units.
Noemi Navas, communication director of ANFACHe pointed out that “it is true that the fall in enrollments in the month of July may be aggravated by its comparison with the same month of the previous year, where there was already an advance in vehicle purchases due to the entry into force of the new WLTP emission measurement standard in September and that this partly explains the general drop in deliveries, especially in the rental channel. However, the fact that the private channel maintains a growing downward trend, with double-digit sales reductions, remains worrying. Above all, if one takes into account that July is one of the best months for the acquisition of vehicles by families, facing the August holidays and that it did not absorb a high number of registrations advanced by the WLTP. Last year, at this time, registrations to individuals grew by 10% and this year, they fell by 11%. Shock measures that reverse this trend are increasingly urgent. ”
Raúl Morales, Communication Director of FACONAUTOHe said that “neither the seasonality, which has traditionally boosted the registrations in July, nor the promotional effort made by dealers and brands have managed to reverse the bad trend that drags the market. We insist that the crisis that the enrollments are going through is trustworthy. There is no compelling reason in the economic or consumption context that has to be taken into account, at the moment, to give an explanation for these falls, in fact, there is an important bag of buyers who are delaying their car change. Of course, looking at the data, it is clear that what does not help is political uncertainty: it is urgent that there is a government so that it can lead the reforms that the sector needs, which would clarify the horizon and provide consumer security. Meanwhile, in August and September the market could change dynamics because the entry into force of the second phase of the WLTP (the current emission measurement regulations), as of September 1, will force dealers to self-enroll about 15,000 units extra, which will be released with attractive discounts. It will be a good time to change cars again. ”
According to the Communication Director of Ganvam, Tania Puche, “It is true that the comparison with July last year, which triggered sales due to the WLTP effect, is unfavorable. But even so the figures – with the companies in negative and the individuals accumulating eleven months of fall – are showing the bad health of the market. There is an urgent need for a stable government that does not act lightly at the blow of the declaration, creating uncertainty in the buyers because the fall in registrations will have an effect on the economy as a whole, starting with employment. We need a government team that, listening to the sector before legislating, is able to make technical decisions and not just policies to channel the situation. At this rate, saving the year is complicated, but you have to breathe confidence again to reverse the situation and release the retained demand. Therefore, an exercise of responsibility must be made to agree and move towards sustainable mobility in an orderly manner, with a national stimulus plan not linked to the Budgets that begins by removing older and polluting vehicles from the circulation without discriminating technologies or harm lower incomes; especially when any new or pre-owned model, regardless of the engine that propels it, complies with anti-pollution regulations today. ”