China auto sales plunge 5.4% in Nov 
2019-12-11
China’s auto sales sank 5.4 percent in November from a year ago, putting the industry’s biggest global market on track to shrink for a second year, an industry group reported yesterday.
Drivers bought just over 2 million SUVs, sedans and minivans, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Sales for the 11 months through November were off 10.5 percent from a year earlier at just over 1.9 million.
Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, were off 3.6 percent at 2.5 million.
Sales growth has been in negative territory every month since June 2018.
Purchases of electric and gasoline-electric hybrid SUVs and sedans tumbled 43.7 percent to 95,000.
Demand for electrics has plummeted since government subsidies ended in mid-2019.
For the 11 months through November, electric car sales were up 1.3 percent at just over 1 million units. Earlier in the year, sales grew by double digits as drivers rushed to buy before subsidies ended.
November’s sales were a small improvement over October’s 5.8 percent contraction. Sales of SUVs were off 7.1 percent.
