KYIV: Vehicle production in Ukraine plunged by 93.5% in January-March 2015, to 922 vehicles, according to tentative data from the Ukrautoprom association.
According to a post on its website, the association said the decline in production is linked to the fall in production of passengers cars by 96.1% year-over-year – only 535 cars were made in the first quarter of 2015.
Commercial vehicle output fell by 22.9%, to 309, and bus production was down by 42.6%, to 78.
The association said that in March alone, Ukrainian automobile plants cut production by 92% on March 2014, to 430 vehicles, while it was three time up on February 2015.
A total of 303 passenger cars were made in March (94.3% down on March 2014), and 105 commercial vehicles (with KrAZ vehicles accounting for 90% of the market) were made, which was 31% down year-over-year, but 10.5% up on February 2015.
Bus production fell by 40.5% on February 2015 and 52.2% on March 2014, to 22.
According to the association, a total of 8,867 vehicles were sold in January-March 2015 compared to 41,000 vehicles year-over-year, and the share of passenger cars was 88% of total sales – 7,780 cars were registered, which was 80% down year-over-year.
Nissan was the leader in sales (670 cars), Renault was second with 614 cars sold and Toyota, the leader in March, was third (524 cars).
A total of 969 commercial vehicles were sold in Q1 2015 (63% down year-over-year), 118 buses (71% down year-over-year). Fiat was the leader in the commercial vehicle market (104) and RUTA bus was the leader in the bus market (34).
