24 December 2018

Asia Car/Vehicle Production By Nation : 2016-17


This region has the most protected car industry in the world. I personally find it indefensible that Asia is so pro-export and so against two-way trade. Admittedly, some poorer Asian countries would lose their industry without protection, but others simply don't need protecting.

China is removing some and that is a move in the right direction but it needs no protection at all so the sooner that it ceases altogether, the better. Japan stifles imports indirectly while India, Thailand and South Korea do it openly for no reason that can now be justified. I'm not getting political here, just pointing out one area of many of self-interest in world trade.

Cars: China has been increasing with extreme haste but 2017 showed signs of what had to happen eventually. A ceiling has been reached and reduced numbers can be expected in the future. India has passed South Korea but otherwise fairly stable. Vietnam in 2017 has to be an estimate.

16 17 Nation 2017 % +/-
2016 % +/-
1 1 China 24,806,687 56.8% 2% 24,420,744 57.1% 16%
2 2 Japan 8,347,836 19.1% 6% 7,873,886 18.4% 1%
4 3 India 3,952,550 9.0% 7% 3,707,348 8.7% 9%
3 4 South Korea 3,735,399 8.6% -3% 3,859,991 9.0% -7%
5 5 Indonesia 982,356 2.2% 1% 968,476 2.3% 17%
6 6 Thailand 818,440 1.9% 2% 805,033 1.9% 6%
7 7 Malaysia 424,880 1.0% -16% 503,771 1.2% -11%
8 8 Taiwan 230,356 0.5% -8% 251,087 0.6% -16%
9 9 Pakistan 188,690 0.4% 6% 178,718 0.4% -2%
10 10 Vietnam 145,571 0.3% 0% 145,571 0.3% 47%
11 11 Philippines 45,853 0.1% -49% 89,560 0.2% 16%
12 12 Bangladesh 580 0.0% 0% 580 0.0% 7%

Total 43,679,198 2% 42,804,765 9%

Asia x2 221,410 0.5%
213,830 0.5%

Vehicles: Even less change here, despite commercial vehicles moving up the volume by 8.5 million. The Philippine vehicle figure looks dubious considering cars fell so much. I'd wager that it went down but the source put it as level with 2016.

16 17 Nation 2017 % +/-
2016 % +/-
1 1 China 29,015,434 55.6% 3% 28,118,794 55.6% 14%
2 2 Japan 9,693,746 18.6% 5% 9,204,813 18.2% -1%
3 3 India 4,782,896 9.2% 6% 4,519,341 8.9% 9%
4 4 South Korea 4,114,913 7.9% -3% 4,228,509 8.4% -7%
5 5 Thailand 1,988,823 3.8% 2% 1,944,417 3.8% 2%
6 6 Indonesia 1,216,615 2.3% 3% 1,177,797 2.3% 7%
7 7 Malaysia 460,140 0.9% -16% 545,333 1.1% -11%
8 8 Taiwan 291,563 0.6% -6% 309,522 0.6% -12%
9 9 Vietnam 236,161 0.5% 0% 236,161 0.5% 38%
10 10 Pakistan 230,250 0.4% 7% 214,650 0.4% -7%
11 11 Philippines 116,868 0.2% 0% 116,868 0.2% 4%
12 12 Bangladesh 580 0.0% 0% 580 0.0% 7%

Total 52,147,989 3% 50,616,785 8%

Asia x2 221,410 0.4%
213,830 0.4%

Data source: OICA.

21 December 2018

East Europe Car/Vehicle Production By Nation : 2016-17


This part of Europe has a huge advantage in car manufacturing, low wage costs. That has incentivised many companies from around the world to set up plants in the region. Slovakia has been a strong beneficiary, making more cars per capita than any other country in the world. The main issue now is having a workforce qualified to meet future investment.

The Fiat 500L is made in Serbia
Cars: The Czech Republic leads the way with cars in this region, although Russia is closing in. Turkey had a good year, passing Slovakia in the process. Overall production continues to rise, with a 7% improvement in 2017. There ware some double counts with other countries that amounted to 3.5% of the total.

16 17 Nation 2017 % +/-
2016 % +/-
1 1 Czech Rep 1,413,881 21.0% 5% 1,344,182 21.6% 4%
2 2 Russia 1,348,029 20.0% 20% 1,124,310 18.1% -7%
4 3 Turkey 1,142,906 17.0% 20% 950,888 15.3% 20%
3 4 Slovakia 1,001,520 14.9% -4% 1,040,000 16.7% 4%
5 5 Poland 514,700 7.6% -7% 554,600 8.9% 4%
6 6 Hungary 502,000 7.5% -4% 524,241 8.4% 7%
7 7 Romania 359,240 5.3% 0% 358,861 5.8% -7%
8 8 Slovenia 189,852 2.8% 42% 133,702 2.1% 0%
9 9 Uzbekistan 140,247 2.1% 59% 88,152 1.4%
10 10 Serbia 79,360 1.2% 0% 79,360 1.3% -4%
12 11 Kazakhstan 16,789 0.2% 100% 8,397 0.1%
11 12 Belarus 13,428 0.2% -22% 17,270 0.3%
13 13 Ukraine 7,296 0.1% 68% 4,340 0.1% -23%

Total 6,729,248 8% 6,228,303 1%

CIS x2 116,270 1.7% 101,090 1.6%
E Eur x2 123,010 1.8% 125,200 2.0%

Vehicles: Including the commercial side of things adds nearly 950,000 units, much of that in Turkey. This propels that country into the top spot. It also consigns the Czech Rep to third, down two places from its passenger car ranking.

16 17 Nation 2017 % +/-
2016 % +/-
1 1 Turkey 1,695,731 22.1% 14% 1,485,927 21.0% 9%
3 2 Russia 1,551,293 20.2% 19% 1,303,544 18.4% -5%
2 3 Czech Rep 1,419,993 18.5% 5% 1,349,896 19.1% 8%
4 4 Slovakia 1,001,520 13.0% -4% 1,040,000 14.7% -7%
5 5 Poland 689,729 9.0% 1% 681,834 9.6% 3%
6 6 Hungary 505,400 6.6% -4% 526,500 7.4% -1%
7 7 Romania 359,250 4.7% 0% 359,306 5.1% -7%
8 8 Slovenia 189,852 2.5% 42% 133,702 1.9% 0%
9 9 Uzbekistan 140,247 1.8% 59% 88,152 1.2% -52%
10 10 Serbia 79,912 1.0% -1% 80,320 1.1% -4%
12 11 Kazakhstan 19,071 0.2% 79% 10,651 0.2% -26%
11 12 Belarus 13,428 0.2% -22% 17,270 0.2% 15%
13 13 Ukraine 9,542 0.1% 81% 5,264 0.1% -36%
14 - Azerbaidjan - 247 0.0% -40%

Total 7,674,968 8% 7,082,613 -1%

CIS x2 116,270 1.5% 101,090 1.4%
E Eur x2 123,010 1.6% 125,200 1.8%

Data source: OICA and others.
Main picture: Kia Slovakia.