What Car Sales Look Like When You Can't Go Outside

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Forgive us for mentioning the coronavirus, or whatever it’s called now, once again. As the highly infectious illness spreads in China (and now South Korea and Iran), a staggering piece of data shows what happens to a country’s auto sales when the one-party state won’t let citizens leave their home.

After wartime-like measures went into effect near the virus’ epicenter in late January, car sales nearly skidded to a halt. It seems the tens of millions of citizens barred inside their homes decided to use their one government-mandated outdoor foray every two days to seek out food and medicine, not purchase a gleaming new automobile.

Not that many dealership were open in some regions.

The China Passenger Car Association now says the country of 1.45 billion saw new vehicle sales plunge 92 percent in the first half of February. In the first week of the month, sales were off 96 percent. That’s 811 daily sales in a country with a population topping that of Europe and the United States combined.

“There was barely anybody at car dealers in the first week of February as most people stayed at home,” said CPCA secretary general Cui Dongshu, as reported by the BBC.

On Thursday, authorities in the hard-hit province of Hubei extended the mandatory work stoppage, which was expected to end Feb. 21, to March 11th. Nonessential facilities will remain shuttered.

Still, the association expects somewhat less sickly numbers in the second half of February, what with the easing of restrictions seen in the rest of the country. That easing could be dialed back at any time, however.

In the wake of the outbreak, some automakers have altered their sales model to get vehicles into the hands of customers. Among them auto giant Geely, which now allows Chinese customers to order a car online, with the vehicle delivered to the buyer’s front door.

It would be prudent for that buyer to apply a Lysol wipe to every square inch of that car’s interior, plus the exterior door handles.

[Image: B.Zhou/Shuterstock]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Feb 21, 2020

    If tiny virus causes so much panic I wonder what will happen when aliens (from other solar system) finally land in China.

  • Cprescott Cprescott on Feb 24, 2020

    Anyone who buys a car they can't test drive to see the real world impact on bad interior design is an idiot. Also the small details of ride comfort and handling effectiveness is a big thing. Back during January 2019, a test drive eliminated 90% of the vehicles I was considering because I hated driving them - awful interior sightlines to the outside was the number one thing - but awful instrument design and mediocre handling was another thing - plus road noise - more bit the dust.

  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
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