Reuters (September 4)
“China’s automotive industry must seem like an unstoppable force to outsiders.” Nevertheless, “scores of their carmakers are heading for a crash.” They remain challenged by “a vicious price war that has lasted more than two years,” with Chinese policymakers expect an “involution” or “frantic, self-destructive struggle.” Government officials are struggling to bring the price war to an end, but their measures have not addressed overcapacity. Sales of passenger vehicles stood at 27.6 million in 2024, while “production capacity hit 55.6 million units, more than 50% higher than a decade ago.”
Tags: Automotive industry, Carmakers, China, Frantic, Government, Involution, Officials, Overcapacity, Passenger vehicles, Policymakers, Price war, Production, Self-destructive, Struggle
Bloomberg (October 12)
“China’s car market has been one of the most reliable engines of global growth for decades. Now that all might be coming to an end…. Purchases of passenger vehicles by dealerships plunged for a third straight month…. The industry is now facing the prospect of its first contraction since at least the 1990s.”
Tags: Car market, China, Contraction, Global growth, Passenger vehicles, Plunged, Purchases, Reliable
