Japan’s commercial vehicle market over 2 tons gvw expanded by 6% to 98,836 units in the fourth quarter of 2020 from weak year-earlier sales of 93,049 units, based on data released the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The market for commercial vehicles over 2 tons gvw in East Asia’s seven main markets (excluding China) fell by just 2.6% to 385,943 units in the fourth quarter of 2020 after declining by close to 13% to 396,046 units in the same period of 2019, according to data compiled by www.AsiaMotorBusiness.com from numerous industry sources.

‘China’s relaxation of foreign investment restrictions in auto industry (including lowering import tariffs on vehicles) will provide better access for international automakers to the world's biggest car (and commercial vehicle) market and provide a more level playing field for international automakers to compete with Chinese automakers.' - KWM

Volvo Bus Thailand Company of Bangkok is looking to expand sales this year by expanding its customer base beyond the tourist industry with a new focus on coach sales to factories and state agencies for worker transportation contracts, according to a company executive, Kulkarineetham Dechchai, managing director of Volvo Bus Thailand.

The Indonesian market for medium and large buses and coaches virtually collapsed in the fourth quarter of 2020; falling by over 77% to just 242 units from 1,065 units a year earlier, resulting in a decline of more than 52% in full-year sales to 1,950 units.

Since the launch of the Class 2 Utilimaster Velocity F2 walk-in-van (WIV) in October 2020 by The Shyft Group Inc, the company says the model has attracted significant orders from parcel delivery companies.

A new study from the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association shows there are currently 6.2 million medium and heavy commercial vehicles on the EU’s roads, the average age of which is 13 years and that almost 98% of all these trucks run on diesel.

Sales of light-duty vehicles fell by 79.2% to 7,426 units in the first nine months of fiscal year 2020-21 from 35,644 units in same period of 2019-20.

Sales of LCV goods carriers (trucks of gvw ≤ 7.5t) saw domestic sales fall by 24.7% to 270,623 units in the first three quarters (April to December) of fiscal year 2020-21 (Q1-Q3 FY2020/21) from 359,162 units in same period of 2019-20.

Haulage tractor sales fell by 61.2% during the first three quarters (April to December) of fiscal year 2020-21 (Q1-Q3/2020-21) to register just 5,467 units compared with 14,107 units in the same period of the previous year (2019-20).

Sales of buses fell by 91.2% in the first three quarter's period of fiscal year 2020-21 to register just 2,578 units, down from 29,206 units in the first nine months of FY2019-20.

Sales of light-duty vehicles (7.5t gvw & below) declined by 69.7% to register just 2,803 units in Q3 of FY2020-21, down from 9,254 units in Q3 of FY2019-20.