Steel Markets
December 22, 2015
US Vehicle Sales & NAFTA Vehicle Production for November 2015
Written by Peter Wright
In November, vehicle sales in the US maintained their very high seasonally adjusted annual rate of 18.2 million units for the third consecutive month. All the growth this year has been in light trucks which includes crossovers. Sales in November were 6.2 percent higher than the same month a year ago. Year to date sales are at a record pace of 17.4 million units.
Light trucks continue to dominate with 10.4 million units up from 10.2 million in October. Autos fell from 8.0 to 7.8 million annualized. It is probable that 2015 as a whole will have the best pace since 2001. Pent-up demand for vehicles is being quickly absorbed and the decline in gasoline prices is encouraging consumers to buy larger vehicles. Most automakers are benefiting with the exception of Volkswagen, whose sales fell 25 percent as the fallout from its emissions scandal continued. North American assembled vehicles had a market share of 78.5 percent, the same as in October but down from >80 percent in September.
