The number of new cars sold in May suggests there will be one million new cars sold by the end of 2022 despite the issues with supply. There were 94,383 vehicles were sold in May bringing the year-to-date total to 437,884.
Heavy commercial vehicles are up 9.2% compared to 2021 which indicates the economy is still going strong.
Electric vehicles are now selling in record numbers each month with PHEV catching up to BEV. Only 12 Tesla Model 3 cars were delivered in May.
FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said global supply chains struggling to recover from pandemic impacts meant demand for new vehicles in Australia continues to outstrip supply.
“The global automotive industry continues to be plagued by a shortage of microprocessor units and shipping delays. This issue is not unique to Australia.
“Car makers continue to report high demand across dealer showrooms and online marketplaces. Pandemic interruptions continue to impact manufacturing and conflict in Ukraine has disrupted vehicle component supply. Monthly sales figures are also dependent on shipping arrivals which continue to be uncertain. We do not expect supply chains to stabilise until these issues are resolved.”
Sales across every State and Territory were down apart from the Northern Territory where 973 vehicles were sold representing an increase of 2.4 per cent on May 2021. Sales in the Australian Capital Territory fell 11 per cent (1,367); New South Wales 6.3 per cent (30,757); Queensland 11.3 per cent (18,997); South Australia 8.2 per cent (6,098); Tasmania 6.8 per cent (1,651); Victoria 0.8 per cent (25,164); and Western Australia 9.1 per cent (9,353).
Toyota led the market with a total of 22,813 vehicles sold. Kia was next with 7,307 followed by Hyundai (7,063), Mazda (6,474) and Mitsubishi (6,086).
The top 5 selling vehicles in May 2022 were:
- Toyota Hi-Lux – 5,178
- Toyota RAV4 – 3,925
- Ford Ranger – 3,751
- Toyota Corolla – 3,310
- Toyota Landcruiser – 2,667
