Japan’s market for light commercial vehicles (between 2.0-4.5 tons gvw) fell by over 13% to 49,514 units in the fourth quarter of 2021, with sales affected by the covid resurgence in the second half of the year and by the resulting global shortages of semi-conductors. Full-year sales were just slightly lower at 230,968 units after a 13% decline to 267,007 units in the previous year.  

The Indonesian market for commercial vehicles over 2 tons gvw continued to recover strongly in the fourth quarter of 2021, with sales rising more than 60% to 47,210 units from a depressed 29,423 units a year earlier, based on AsiaMotorBusiness.com analysis of industry data. 

The pickup truck segment expanded by 45% to 6,256 units in the fourth quarter of 2021 after declining by 7.5% to 4,312 units a year earlier, resulting in a 44% rise in full-year sales 17,533 units. This segment is now entirely made up of models imported as built-up units from Thailand. The rebound in mining activity last year, driven by surging commodity prices, helped drive the segment’s recovery after a 34% decline in 2020. 

The market for commercial vehicles over 2 tons gvw in the Philippines continued to recover in the fourth quarter of 2021, by over 23% to record 28,223 units after declining by 32% to 22,860 units in the same period of the previous year, according to www.AsiaMotorBusiness.com analysis of data sourced from the industry. 

Sales of pickup trucks increased by over 13% to 15,002 units in the fourth quarter of 2021 after declining by 17% to 13,227 units in the same period of the previous year, as the economy continued to rebound from sharp declines in 2020. Full year sales were up by almost 20% at 48,101 units following a 41% decline to 40,187 units in 2020. 

The Malaysian commercial vehicle market over 2 tons gvw expanded by 5.4% year-on-year to 19,915 units in the fourth quarter of 2021 after rebounding by 25% to 18,893 units in the same period of the previous year, according to www.AsiaMotorBusiness.com analysis of industry data. 

The Malaysian market for pickup trucks increased by almost 12% year-on-year to 14,685 units in the fourth quarter of 2021 after surging by 37% to 13,145 units in the same period of the previous year, resulting in a 21% rise in full-year sales to 39,832 units after a 4% fall to 33,034 units previously.  

The total number of alternative drivelines in city buses in European Union 27 countries plus the UK, Norway (NO), Iceland (ICE) and Switzerland totalled 8,911 units accounting for 59.2% of total city bus registrations in 2021 of 14,990 units, according to market analysis by Wim Chatrou of Chatrou CME Solutions of The Netherlands.

Sales of medium and heavy rigid trucks (7.5t gvw and above) in October to December or Q3 of FY2021-22 in India grew by 17.6% to register 53,450 units, up from 45,432 units in same quarter of the previous fiscal year.

Sales of LCV goods carrier (truck) vehicles (gvw ≤ 7.5t) fell by 8.5% to 127,213 units in Q3 of FY 2021/22 from 139,041 units in same period of FY 2020/21.

Tractor sales grew by 70.7% during the third quarter (October to December) during financial year 2021-22 (Q3:21/22 to register 6,910 units compared with 4,049 units in the same quarter of the previous year (FY20/21), with the heavy weight tractor segment being the main contributor to growth.

Domestic sales of buses (7.5t gvw and above) increased by a massie 110.8% in the third quarter (Q3: October to December) of the financial year 2021-22 to register 3,624 units, up from 1,719 units in Q3/2020-21.