As expected, the Covid wave has impacted the sales of vehicles in April, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said on Wednesday, adding that dispatches (to dealers) of passenger vehicles fell by 10 per cent compared to March due to various restrictions in States.

Dispatches of two-wheelers in the domestic market have plummeted by 33 per cent, while three-wheelers witnessed a de-growth of 51 per cent from March to April, the industry body said in its monthly sales report.

“Supply chain related production challenges continue with the lockdown restrictions in many parts of the country. The demand has been clearly impacted by second wave of Covid-19, both in terms of low consumer sentiments and closure of dealerships due to lockdown restrictions,” Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM, said.

The passenger car sales (to dealers) declined to 1,41,194 units during the month as compared to 1,56,985 units in March. Sequentially, dispatches of utility vehicles have also declined by 11 per cent month-on-month (MoM) to 1,08,871 units in April as against 1,22,350 units in the previous month.

In the scooter segment, the sales declined by 34 per cent MoM to 3,00,462 units during the last month as compared with 4,57,677 units in March this year. Similarly, motorcycle sales also declined by 33 per cent MoM to 6,67,841 units as against 9,93,996 units in March.

However, electric two-wheeler sales have grown by 83 per cent to 817 units as compared 445 units in the previous month. Total two-wheeler sales declined to 9,95,097 units as against 14,96,806 units in March.

The grand total of all categories put together reported a sequential de-growth of 30 per cent at 12,70,458 units in April as compared with 18,19,682 units in March.

Vehicle manufacturing has been restricted and manufacturers have come forward for augmenting Oxygen supply for medical use. Industry is putting all efforts to increase the availability of oxygen by providing oxygen generating plants, concentrators, cylinders, mobile oxygen vans, setting-up vehicle tracking system in oxygen carrying vehicles to reduce their turn-around-time, Menon said.

“As our country battles with the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the Indian automobile industry has been standing shoulder to shoulder with the government and local authorities to provide all essential medical and non-medical support to the society, in this difficult time,” he added.

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