Local electric car sales exceeding industry expectations

Tuesday, 10 January 2023

The top ten selling vehicles for 2022, as of the end of December.

New Zealand Motor Industry Association (MIA) chief executive David Crawford says that local electric vehicle sales “strongly exceeded expectations” in 2022, adding that they are “rapidly closing the gap on monthly sales of hybrids”.

The statement comes as the MIA releases its full 2022 debrief, with the industry defying numerous challenges to post a record year in new-vehicle sales.

A total of 164,964 new vehicles were registered in 2022, making it the second biggest year on record – coming in just 490 units shy of last year’s record 165,287 registrations.

Although the Ford Ranger was the country’s most popular vehicle in 2022, the commercial vehicle sector as a whole dropped 9%.

As previously reported, the passenger vehicle market enjoyed its best year on record, with 116,445 vehicles registered – a 3.8% year-on-year jump. Crawford says that this growth was driven by a rise in demand for EVs and SUVs.

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The Hilux continued its streak as Toyota’s most popular nameplate.

“It is an outstanding result given rising interest rates, a challenging business environment and inflationary pressures dampening economic activity. The outlook for 2023 is for a somewhat softer outcome, with businesses and private buyers tightening their belts,” said Crawford.

Sales of pure electric BEVs grew exponentially in 2022, rising from 6,897 in 2021 to 16,223. This means that BEVs comfortably outsold plug-in hybrids by almost two to one (7,259 PHEVs were registered in 2022).

While hybrid vehicle sales grew year-on-year – from 13,794 to 17,621 – electric vehicles appear set to overtake them for popularity in 2023 assuming the momentum shown last year continues.

While the MIA’s focus is on EVs, utes continued to lead the market with the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux named as the two most popular nameplates in the country. Commercial vehicle sales dropped year on year by 9% – a figure some might attribute to the introduction of the Clean Car Discount feebate scheme.

Overall, the number of vehicles sold in New Zealand with some form of electrification almost doubled in 2022; rising from 23,173 to 41,103.

The combined sales of hybrids and EVs are steadily inching closer to the ute and commercial vehicle market. A total of 48,479 commercial vehicles (inclusive of utes, vans, and trucks) were registered in 2022.

It’s worth noting that some vehicles, like the fully electric LDV eDeliver 3 and eDeliver 9, count towards both the EV sales and commercial vehicle sales tally.

As previously reported, the Ranger was the most popular vehicle of the year, with 11,577 registrations, edging the Hilux (9,787) and Mitsubishi Outlander (9,104). The full top 10 includes three utes, six SUVs, and one hatchback. Six out of the 10 models are available with some form of electrified powertrain.

The Ranger was also the top selling vehicle of December, with its 1,114 registrations pipping the Tesla Model Y’s 868, and the Toyota Hilux’s 615. The Tesla Model 3 (413), MG ZS (396), Suzuki Swift (367), Mitsubishi Outlander (336), Mitsubishi ASX (331), BYD Atto 3 (318), and Toyota Corolla (301) filled the top 10.

Toyota ended the year leading the overall combined passenger and commercial market with 17% market share, beating Mitsubishi (14%), Ford (9%), Kia (7%), and Suzuki (5%). Mitsubishi got one back on Toyota in leading the passenger vehicle market, selling 17,256 vehicles to Toyota’s 16,992 – a gap of just 264 units.