May auto sales: Here's how carmakers fared

Several automakers in India reported sales numbers for the month of May today.

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s domestic passenger vehicle wholesales came in flat at 1.44 lakh units in May 2024 as against 1.43 lakh units in the same month last year. The Japanese carmaker saw a 34% decline in export volumes at 17,367 units last month compared with 26,477 units in May 2023. Maruti Suzuki says this was a one off case where it missed a shipment because of the Red Sea crisis. The automaker expects to cover it in the first week of June. The carmaker exports models such as Jimny, Dzire, Fronx, Grand Vitara and Baleno to markets like South Africa, Latin America and the Middle East among others.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) registered total sales of 63,551 units in May. This includes domestic sales of 49,151 units and exports of 14,400 units. Domestic sales witnessed a marginal growth of 1.1% last month.

“We have maintained a healthy total sales volume in May 2024, despite a week-long routine bi-annual maintenance shutdown at our Sriperumbudur factory. SUVs continue to be a growth driver for HMIL, accounting for more than 67% of domestic sales last month. Our rural penetration stood at a healthy 20.1% in May,” says Tarun Garg, COO, Hyundai Motor India.

Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle wholesales in May increased 2% year-on-year to 46,697 units as against 45,878 units in the corresponding month last year. However, electric vehicle wholesales registered a decline for the second consecutive month. Sales of EVs fell 4% to 5,558 units last month.

Mahindra & Mahindra sold 43,218 SUVs (sport utility vehicles) in the domestic market, a growth of 31% and overall, 44,283 vehicles, including exports.

“We sold a total of 43,218 SUVs in May, a growth of 31% and 71,682 total vehicles, a 17% growth over last year. As we opened bookings on 15th May, we were delighted to receive an overwhelming response for the XUV3XO. Within the first hour of opening bookings, we hit the 50000 mark. The belief that our customers have shown on us reiterates the strong disruptive proposition of XUV3XO. We have started deliveries from 26th May,” says Veejay Nakra, president, Automotive Division, M&M.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported monthly growth by registering sales of 25,273 units in May. This represents a year-on-year growth of 24% compared to May 2023, when the company sold 20,410 units. In the month of May, domestic sales reached 23,959 units, complemented by an additional 1,314 units exported.

MG Motor India on Saturday reported a 5% decline in wholesales at 4,769 units in May compared to the same month last year. The company had despatched 5,006 units to dealers in May 2023. MG said it received positive traction for its EVs, contributing 36% to its overall monthly sales. The ZS EV achieved its highest-ever monthly sales since its launch.