Domestic PV sales rise 7.5% in April driven by UVs, vans

Passenger vehicle (PV) sales in India rose by 7.5% in April, driven by robust sales of utility vehicles, cars and vans.

According to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), PV sales last month stood at 2,98,504 units, up 7.5% from 2,77,683 units in April 2017.

Domestic car sales were up 4.89% to 2,00,183 units as against 1,90,854 units in the same month last year.

Utility vehicle (UV) sales rose 11.92% to 79,136 units while van sales jumped 18.99% to 19,185 units during the month.

"We have started the current financial year on a positive note. We expect the industry to carry on the momentum during the rest of the year as well," SIAM Deputy Director General Sugato Sen told reporters here.

He said all segments in the PV vertical -- cars, utility vehicles and vans -- contributed to the sales growth last month.

However, exports of PVs were down 15.89% at 50,921 units in April as against 60,538 units in same month last year.

In April, market leader Maruti Suzuki India posted a growth of 13.43% in its domestic PV sales at 1,63,434 units. Rival Hyundai Motor India saw a growth of 4.42% at 46,735 units.

Homegrown Mahindra & Mahindra registered a growth of 12.94% at 21,826 units, while Tata Motors saw its PV sales jump 36.19% to 19,157 units.

According to SIAM, total two-wheeler sales in April rose 16.92% to 19,58,241 units compared to 16,74,787 units in the year-ago month.

"Motorcycle sales have bounced back and we expect the trend to continue," Sen said.

Motorcycle sales last month rose 19.38% to 12,29,526 units as against 10,29,963 units a year earlier.

Market leader Hero MotoCorp posted a rise of 16.44% in its domestic motorcycle sales at 6,07,720 units as against 5,21,909 units in the year-ago month. Rival Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) sold 2,12,292 units as compared to 1,83,182 units in the same month last year, a growth of 15.89 per cent.

Bajaj Auto's motorcycle sales stood at 2,00,742 units as compared to 1,61,930 units in April 2017, up 23.96 per cent.

In the scooters segment, market leader HMSI saw its domestic sales jump by 12.98% to 4,23,532 units as against 3,68,550 units in the year-ago month.

Chennai-based TVS Motors sold 85,586 units as compared to 79,443 units in April last year, up 7.73%.

Hero MotoCorp's scooter sales stood at 70,072 units as compared to 63,746 units in the year-ago months, up 9.92%.

Sales of commercial vehicles (CVs) were up 75.95% to 72,993 units in April, SIAM said.

"The base in CV sales was low in April last year due to the implementation of BSIV emission norms. However, going ahead we expect the sales to be better during the current fiscal," Sen said.

Vehicle sales across categories registered a rise of 17.44% to 23,79,718 units from 20,26,373 units in April 2017, SIAM said.