Automobile major Maruti Suzuki India reported nil domestic sales due to the extended national lockdown in April, however, the company did manage to export 632 units.
Accordingly, Maruti Suzuki India had zero sales in the domestic market including sales to OEM, in April 2020. "This was because in compliance with the Government orders, all production facilities were closed," the company said in a statement.
"Meanwhile, following resumption of port operations, the first export shipment of 632 units was undertaken from the Mundra port, ensuring that all guidelines for safety were followed.”
The country’s second largest carmaker, Hyundai Motor India on Friday said it also sold zero units in April during the lockdown following suspension of manufacturing activities. Domestic sales stood nil last month amid nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, Hyundai Motor India said in a statement.
However, the company managed to export 1,341 units last month.
Automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra on Friday reported a massive decline of 98% in its total vehicle sales in April 2020 to 733 units due to the national lockdown imposed to curb the COVID-19 outbreak.
The company had sold a total of 43,721 units in April 2019.
Industry analysts have cited the COVID-19 crisis as the main reason for such downfall in sales numbers.
Furthermore, the company reported nil domestic sales last month. It had sold 41,603 units in April 2019.
Only exports' segment showed some life. M&M exported 733 units in the month under review, which is a decline of 65% on a YoY basis from 2,118 vehicles which were shipped out in April 2019.
Commenting on the situation, Veejay Nakra, Chief Executive Officer, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra said: "At Mahindra, we are working hand in hand with all stakeholders, especially our dealer and supplier partners, to get our ecosystem started, once the lockdown is lifted. The safety of all our employees will be of paramount importance to us while resuming our operations. We are hopeful that our dealerships will open soon and have stocks to cover the first few weeks of sale.”
Toyota India also reported zero sales for the month of April amid the lockdown.
"We were aware that there would be no wholesales in April due to lockdown enforced to contain COVID-19 spread in the country," said the Indo-Japanese joint venture vice-president for sales and services, Naveen Soni in a statement.
The city-based auto major sold 7,023 cars and exported 999 units of Etios model in March before the first phase of the 21-day lockdown was enforced on March 25.
In contrast, the company sold 12,818 units in the domestic market and exported 844 Etios cars the same month a year ago (2019).
"COVID-19 crisis exacerbated the pressures on the automobile industry. Though the lockdown was necessary for the safety of the people, adverse impact of it on the economic activity has been its side-effect," asserted Soni.
MG Motor India on Friday also reported nil retail sales for April as its showrooms were closed due to nationwide lockdown.
Calling it the new normal, the company said that it began operations and manufacturing on a small scale at its facility in Halol, Gujarat in the last week of April 2020.
It hopes that the production will ramp up in the month of May and is working on the local supply-chain support.
"MG Motor India is gearing up for working as per new norms including sanitisation and social distancing," the company said in a statement.
"In the current scenario, its prime focus remains on health, well-being and training of its entire workforce including dealer employees, on new SOP. The company continues to serve the communities around where it operates, in every possible way it can,” the company said in a statement.
The lockdown which has been deemed necessary to curb the spread of COVID-19, has dealt a heavy blow to commerce, leading to a temporary closure of shopping malls, grounding of aircraft, shutting down of factories and deserted market places.
With IANS inputs