Cape Town – South Africa ranked seventh globally on the list of countries that increased their production of cars, since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is according to GoShorty, a UK-based temporary car insurance provider, which used the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers’ 2021 production statistics to get World Motor Vehicle Production figures.
South Africa showed among the top 10 highest percentage increases in car manufacturing in 2021, compared to 12% in 2020.
In 2021, the country made 239 267 cars and 259 820 commercial vehicles.
The country ranked seventh for the highest percentage increase in car manufacturing in 2021, followed by Brazil, Portugal and Austria.
Argentina saw the highest percentage increase in car manufacturing in 2021 compared to 2020 at a rate of 69%.
Argentina’s motor vehicle production was reported at 434 753 units in December 2021, compared to 257 187 units for December, 2020.
China produced the most cars and commercial vehicles, with a total of 26 million manufactured in 2021.
China is well known for being the world’s biggest manufacturer of cars, and its domestic production is expected to reach 35 million vehicles by the year 2025.
The US produced the second-highest number of cars and commercial vehicles in 2021, with a total of 9.16 million vehicles manufactured.
In December, 2021 US President Joe Biden imposed a new executive order that stated that by 2035, all new light-duty vehicles sold in the US had to be 100% all-electric vehicles to address climate change and air pollution issues in the country.
Japan is the third biggest car manufacturing country in the world, with a total of 7.8 million cars and commercial vehicles produced in 2021.
Japan’s market share has decreased slightly in recent years, due to new competition in South Korea, China and India. Automobile export remains the country’s most profitable industry and is a part of its recovery plan for the economic crisis of the pandemic.
Cape Times