New Car Sales in New Zealand for August Persist in Recovery, Yet Industry Leader Expresses Concern Over Electronic Vehicle Sales

New Vehicle Sales in August Show Stability and Growth

After a sharp increase in June, the trend of new vehicle sales in New Zealand continued to show positive signs in August, marking the third consecutive month of growth. According to the Motor Industry Association (MIA), registrations of new vehicles remained steady compared to July, with a total of 16,360 new vehicles sold.

In the light passenger vehicle category, the Toyota RAV4 retained its position as the best-selling vehicle, with 1,039 registrations. The Ford Everest followed closely behind with 413 sales, securing the second spot. The Toyota RAV4 also remains the best-selling vehicle year-to-date, with a total of 6,221 registrations. The Ford Ranger, despite a slight drop in August compared to July, managed to hold onto the second position year-to-date, with 6,203 registrations. The Toyota Hilux, which came in third in August, has accumulated 5,708 registrations so far this year.

The sales of light commercial vehicles were steady in August, with 3,031 registrations. This is a slight decrease compared to July (3,532) and August 2024 (3,225), but the Mitsubishi Triton managed to secure the third spot in the category with 262 registrations in August. The Ford Ranger regained the top position in the light commercial vehicle category, with 978 registrations in August, compared to the Toyota Hilux's 745.

The sales of SUVs and passenger vehicles saw a significant increase of nearly 20% compared to the same month last year, with a total of 8,090 registrations in August.

However, the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) continue to experience a slump. In August, EVs registered 385 registrations, a significant drop compared to 638 in July and 564 in August 2024. Plug-in hybrid vehicles also saw a decrease in sales, with 408 registrations in August, compared to 749 in July, but up from the 231 in August last year.

Despite the challenges faced by the EV market, Aimee Wiley, chief executive of the MIA, remains optimistic. She suggests that a corner has been turned due to the positive sales figures. The industry, however, is expressing concern over meeting emissions targets due to the poor performance of EVs.

For those interested in learning more about electric vehicle sales in New Zealand in 2024, detailed sales figures and growth percentages can be found in the market development data for electric cars by country on Wikipedia.