Records have been broken right across the Australian truck market in June with the commercial vehicle sales continuing to reach new heights, with the total market registering just under 5000 new vehicles for the month and the year to date tallies almost 1000 units ahead of the same time in the record year of 2018.
Amidst all of the bad news that has been bombarding us in recent times, the June truck sales figures proved a beacon of light and optimism as the commercial vehicle market continues to boom.
Among some astounding results Isuzu, Hino and Volvo all registered their best ever monthly sales performances, with the overall market leader reporting total sales of 1521 trucks in June, almost 500 ahead of its previous best month, while Hino sold 811 trucks, 50 more than its best ever monthly result in June 2021.
The total truck market for the year to date as at 30 June is a remarkable 20887 units, which is 987 trucks ahead of the result at the end of June 2018 when the market was on its way to an all-time record.
Not only was Isuzu’s monthly result a record, the Japanese brand recorded a market share of 30.5 percent with close to one in every three trucks sold here in June wearing an Isuzu badge.
While local Isuzu head of COO Andrew Harbisson gave an inkling back in April that the brand could break 12000 by the end of the year, it seems the company reckons it could top 13000 trucks if all of the planets align.
In any other month Hino’s 821 sales would have been a stand-out, given it is the best month the Toyota brand has every recorded, but the performance of Isuzu has totally eclipsed the performance. Hino was second overall, as usual, recording a market share of 16.3 per cent, while Fuso was third with 9.1 per cent share.
Although Fuso was constrained with supply and the June result for 455 trucks wasn’t the Daimler brand’s best monthly result, it did record the best first half year result ever, ruling a line under 2351 trucks for the six months to 30 June.
Kenworth was as reliable as a Swiss watch, again recording a number in the high 200s and again topping the heavy duty segment, notching fourth in the overall truck market with 298 trucks for the month, all in the heavy sector. The result gave Kenworth six per cent of the overall market
However while the good ship Kenworth has sailed through the seas of market uncertainty with a steady tiller month in month out, its rival Volvo has had trouble keeping up in recent times, although in June the Swedish marque stormed back into the game recording 273 sales for the month, its best ever monthly volume result ever in Australia. Volvo’s sales gave it 5.5 per cent of the overall truck market in June.
Kenworth reports very strong order banks for all its products, even its latest edition, the K220 cab over which is already attracting high levels of interest
The heavy duty market was one of many stars in the overall truck sales numbers with the three top selling brands all registering in excess of 200 sales each, and Kenworth leading the way with that total of 298 trucks, 32 units clear of Volvo, which sold 266 heavy trucks. Isuzu was third with 200 sales, the first time the Japanese maker has made a double century in heavy.
It was the first time since June 2020 that Volvo had sold more than 200 heavy duty trucks in a month, and betters its previous monthly record of 248 set in May 2019.
Volvo’s best ever monthly result in June is believed to be on the back of its moved to augment local product with CBU trucks it has sourced from the Middle East. The fully imported trucks clearly helped the Swedish maker’s volumes, which have been held back largely as a result of supply chain shortages, particularly the semi-conductor shortages that have plagued the automotive industry.
Isuzu had held Volvo out of second spot in heavy duty since November last year, despite the Japanese maker not having a major prime mover presence, however the Swede’s revitalised supply chain has put it back into the number two slot behind Kenworth.
Scania also benefited from better supply after a few months of shortages and recorded a very strong 128 units in June to place it fourth behind Isuzu.
UD has the industry talking with arguably its best ever monthly result in heavies, registering 125 units, to put it fifth and ahead of Japanese rival Hino (97), as well as Mercedes-Benz (92), Fuso (76), Mack (75) and Iveco (60). Behind them DAF sold 59 heavies , Freightliner was marginally up with 53 and MAN sold 30. Even the struggling Hyundai registered a heavy, selling a single Xcient in June.
It is understood that the Medium duty sector registered the strongest ever sales result for the segment with a total of 997 units sold in June. As per normal Isuzu ruled the roost with an impressive tally of 417 trucks, and that result broke its previous best medium duty sales record in June 2018, when it sold 391 mediums.
It was also a bumper month for Hino in medium selling 329 trucks, its best result since the 334 it sold in June 2020. Fuso was naturally in third, again citing supply issues for its tally of 137 trucks, however behind the Japanese trio the sales volume for the other players drops off a cliff . Iveco was fourth with 33 trucks and UD fifth with 30. MAN and Hyundai tied for sixth both with 18 medium duty sales. Hyundai’s performance was notable as its best ever month with the attractively specced but largely ignored Pavise.
Both DAF and newcomer SEA Electric registered two mediums in June.
If the team at Isuzu was salivating over its results in Heavy and Medium, the performance in light duty was even more impressive with the brand capturing a whopping 51.6 per cent market share in the sector in June. Isuzu sold 904 light duty N Series for the month. It is believed to be Isuzu’s best ever result in light duty, topping the next best monthly result if 699 in June 2020.
In the overall light duty market there was a total of 1751 trucks sold in the sector in June, which is also believed to be the highest monthly tally ever in the segment, bettering the previous best of 1583 in June 2020.
In a month of light duty records Hino also set a new benchmark with a total 385 light duty sales in June, its best ever month with light duty, topping its previous best of 357, again set in June 2020. That gave Hino a 22per cent market share for the month, while Fuso sold a strong tally of 242 trucks, giving it 13.8 per cent share in the sector.
Between them the three Japanese brands captured a massive 87.4 per cent of the overall sector, leaving the Euro brands of Iveco, Mercedes, Fiat and Renault to fight over the scraps with their van based light duty trucks. Iveco scored 74. To be fourth in the segment, ahead of Mercedes with 50 Sprinters, Fiat with 41 and Renault with 22. Hyundai was next best selling 21 of its Mightys, one of that brands best results so far.
In Vans, Renault had a rare win with its Master ruling the sector with 264 sales for 40.9 per cent share, well clear of Benz with 197 Sprinters and 30.5 per cent share. VW was third with 78 Crafters ahead of Iveco with 57 Dailys. The van segment saw a total of 645 vehicles sold in June ahead of even June in the record year of 2018.
With many brands predicting further record sales before the end of the, including market leader Isuzu forecasting its own sales to exceed 13000 for the year, the industry is set for a wild ride over the next six months,
