New vehicle sales nationwide last month soared 36.3 percent monthly to 37,279 units, with Tesla Inc posting the highest growth, the Chinese-language auto information Web site U-car.com reported yesterday, citing Directorate-General of Highways data.
The result marked the best sales figure for March since 2005.
On an annual basis, sales rose 15 percent, bucking a global downtrend as the outbreak of COVID-19 dragged down consumer sentiment and disrupted vehicle production worldwide, the report said.
Last quarter, new vehicle sales totaled 104,046 units, up 8.2 percent from the same period last year, the report said.
Imported auto brands accounted for more than half of the sales, it said.
“As the pandemic is relatively under control in Taiwan, the disease has less impact on the local auto market,” U-car said.
It said that Tesla emerged as a dark horse, as sales spiked 14-fold from February to 1,517 units, thanks to robust sales of its Model 3, the report said.
The model was the second-most popular imported passenger car with sales of 1,293 units, it added.
Tesla ranked the nation’s No. 8 auto seller last month, the first time the electric-vehicle maker broke into the top 10 list in Taiwan, U-car said.
Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz rose to No. 3, unseating Nissan Motor Co, as the German brand said sales climbed 8.2 percent month-on-month to 2,693 units, the report said.
Nissan ranked No. 4 after selling 2,328 vehicles, up 12.79 percent from 2,064 units in February, it said.
Hotai Motor Co (和泰汽車), which distributes Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Taiwan, retained its top position as sales surged 34.11 percent to 11,700 units from 8,724 in February.
Hotai’s robust growth was attributed to two popular models: the imported Toyota RAV4, which sold 2,754 units, and the locally made Corolla Altis, which sold 2,563.
Hotai seized a 31.5 market share percent last month, little changed from February.
China Motor Corp (中華汽車) came second with sales totaling 3,812 vehicles, up 20.59 percent month-on-month.
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