According to the latest data from AutoForecast Solutions (abbreviated as AFS), as of December 19, due to the shortage of chips, the cumulative production reduction of the global auto market this year was 10.272 million units, of which the cumulative production reduction in the Chinese auto market has reached 1.982 million units, accounting for 19.3% of the total production reduction. Although the chip shortage problem is still more serious, the impact on automobile production cuts has been decreasing, and the market has seen an inflection point ahead.
Last week, global automakers cut production by about 39,600 units, the data showed. Europe suffered the hardest, losing about 26,000 vehicles, or about two-thirds of last week's total production cuts; followed by the rest of Asia, which lost about 12,500 vehicles; South America, which cut about 450 cars; and North America, China, the Middle East and Africa, all of which cut production by less than 100 percent.
【Table】Cumulative and projected reduction in automobile production in various regions of the world (unit: 10,000 units)
AFS said that although the current global chip shortage phenomenon still exists, the number of cars expected to reduce production is decreasing, and the production reduction situation of automakers is moving in a good direction compared with last year's increasing production cuts. AFS expects the year-long chip crisis, while still a serious problem, to have reached its peak. The agency expects cumulative production cuts in the global auto market to reach 11.31 million units this year due to the chip crisis, an improvement from the 11.33 million units forecast on December 12.
The reporter noted that Toyota Motor recently announced that the factory would stop production. The company said on December 20 that it would suspend production at five Japanese plants in January next year, which would affect the production of about 20,000 vehicles, but Toyota said the cut would not affect its annual target of producing 9 million vehicles. As for the reasons for the latest plant shutdown, Toyota Motor said that it was due to the impact of factors such as the supply chain crisis, chip shortages and the new crown epidemic. At the same time, Toyota motor said that the company plans to produce 800,000 vehicles worldwide in January next year, an increase of 60,000 vehicles from January this year.
Earlier, Toyota motor said just last week that a shortage of parts was forcing it to suspend some production in Japan in December, causing Toyota to lose nearly 14,000 vehicles in the month, while Toyota had planned to increase production in December to make up for the previous loss.
Text/Guangzhou Daily, New Flower City Reporter: Deng Li
Photo/ Guangzhou Daily, New Flower City Reporter: Deng Li
Guangzhou Daily New Flower City Editor: Li Guangman