GlobalData blog: Thailand’s automotive market faces critical challenges amidst shifting regional landscape Thailand’s position in the ASEAN automotive landscape is facing increasing pressure as regional dynamics shift. The country experienced a staggering 26% YoY decline in Light Vehicle (LV) sales in 2024, and the outlook for 2025 remains bleak, with a further contraction of 7% YoY experienced in Q1 compared to an already depressed base duri...

News  Updated at: 2025/06/12

GlobalData blog: GlobalData reduces US light vehicle sales outlook following tariff announcements Under the current tariff implementation, significant risk would be also added to GlobalData's North American LV production forecast GlobalData has carried out detailed analysis on the likely impact of tariffs on automotive imports to the US, including both finished Light Vehicles (LVs) and automotive parts. The following represents a summary of the t...

News  Updated at: 2025/04/10

GlobalData blog: Insights from InterBattery 2025: Korean battery manufacturers showcase innovations amidst global market challenges GlobalData attended the 2025 InterBattery event in Seoul, Korea, from March 5-7, 2025. This year, 688 exhibitors participated, including Korean battery cell manufacturers, raw material providers, and manufacturing equipment suppliers. Concurrently, the Korean Battery Industry Association (KBIA) hosted The Battery Con...

News  Updated at: 2025/03/14

GlobalData blog: Navigating through the BEV chasm: PHEVs and EREVs as catalysts for change? Despite a stagnation in global LV production, PHEV and EREV production has surged. Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs), encompassing Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) emerged as the most rapidly expanding segments within the Electrified Vehicle (xEV) market in 2024. Despite a stagnation in global Light Vehic...

News  Updated at: 2025/02/28

GlobalData blog: Shifting gears: VinFast’s leadership changes and strategic direction Founded in 2017 as a subsidiary of the Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, VinFast set ambitious goals to establish itself as a global automotive brand. The company made its international debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, unveiling the LUX A2.0 and SA2.0 – both rebadged versions of the BMW 5 Series and X5 – rather than launching them domestically in Vietna...

News  Updated at: 2025/02/20

GlobalData blog: Australia: Asia’s mature market down under After a record-breaking year for the Australian LV market, Trump's protectionist trade policies and China’s slowdown are risks to the import-dependent market. 2024 was a record-breaking year for the Australian Light Vehicle (LV) market. Total sales in the country reached an all-time high of 1.21 mn units, representing a 1.8% expansion, and surpassed the 1.2 mn-unit mark for the first...

News  Updated at: 2025/02/14

GlobalData Blog: Could the prospective merger of Honda and Nissan transform their futures? Honda and Nissan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to start discussions that could pave the way for a merger of the two companies. Mitsubishi Motors is also considering joining a new consolidation, which, if it went ahead, would make it the world’s third largest vehicle manufacturer. In an industry facing great change, whether that be the tr...

News  Updated at: 2025/01/16

GlobalData Blog: Thailand’s automotive industry at a crossroads Thailand’s automotive industry stands at a crossroads. While it remains a significant player in the ASEAN region, its traditional strengths are under pressure from global trends and domestic challenges. Thailand, formerly known as “the Detroit of Asia,” is losing its competitive edge as a major auto production hub and exporter, as overseas buyers are increasingly switching to...

News  Updated at: 2024/12/12

GlobalData blog: GlobalData initial impact assessment of the US election result on Heavy Trucks History suggests that the US election result is unlikely to have a material impact on the global truck industry in the very near term beyond creating uncertainty. In the mid- to long-term, however, the impact of Trump’s return to the presidency could be significant, particularly via emissions regulations, trade, and the focus on domestic manufacturin...

News  Updated at: 2024/11/19

GlobalData blog: Paris Motor Show 2024, Chinese automakers secure their entry into Europe Chinese automakers commanded attention at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, underscoring a remarkable shift in the global automotive landscape. The event is increasingly becoming a stage for Chinese automakers to showcase their vehicles, highlighting their growing presence and intention to carve out a significant share of the European market amidst a domestic slowd...

News  Updated at: 2024/10/30

GlobalData blog: Are more expensive cars here to stay? The prices of light vehicles surged in the aftermath of the pandemic, but will they ever come down? No, it isn’t your imagination – vehicles really have become significantly more expensive over recent years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Light Vehicle (LV) prices mostly tracked with inflation in the wider US economy, and average disposable incomes were also rising in line with price...

News  Updated at: 2024/10/04

GlobalData blog: The India vs. China discussion A comparison between India and China often emerges as a focal point in discussions and industry conferences. A recurring question is whether India’s automotive market will encounter a take-off point akin to China’s. In my assessment, this scenario is improbable. There are obviously major disparities between these two Asian behemoths, ranging from their forms of government to the development, com...

News  Updated at: 2024/10/02

GlobalData blog: Soaring Chinese vehicle sales in South America, opportunities and challenges ahead In South America, sales of vehicles imported from China have been exploding. Across the region, our forecast shows that vehicles imported from China are poised to account for 24% of the total market in 2024. In Brazil, vehicles imported from China have been growing strongly and Chinese imports are anticipated to more than double year-on-year (YoY) ...

News  Updated at: 2024/09/10

GlobalData blog: Impact of international sanctions on the Russian light vehicle market Since it invaded Ukraine, Russia has faced increasing sanctions from its foreign trade partners, particularly the US and Europe. Following the recent announcement of the US Treasury expanding its secondary sanctions programme, international pressure looks set to rachet up even further. However, the Russian economy seems to have broadly adapted to the new geopol...

News  Updated at: 2024/07/25

GlobalData blog: Is South Africa ready to embrace electric vehicle production? Today, South Africa is recognised as the largest producer of automotive vehicles on the African continent, with the industry playing a pivotal role in economic growth, employment, and international trade. This sector has evolved into a sophisticated and highly competitive player in the global market. This article gives an overview of the current state of automotive pro...

News  Updated at: 2024/07/18

GlobalData blog: What if light-duty pickups went electric? Electric Pickup trucks (BEV Pickups) are slowly gaining popularity in the United States, the largest market for this type of vehicle. Major manufacturers like Ford, GM, and Tesla have introduced full-sized electric Pickups designed specifically for the American market. However, in other parts of the world, such as Thailand and Australia, light-duty Pickups like the Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-M...

News  Updated at: 2024/05/22

GlobalData blog: Asia-Pacific light vehicle production forecast to slow Asia-Pacific’s Light Vehicle (LV) production ended 2023 on a high note. The region’s production expanded nearly 10% year-on-year (YoY) to a record-high level of 51.8 million units thanks to the robust pace of production in China and Japan, and to a lesser extent, Korea and India. Strong exports were a key driver for growth in the mainland and China became the world’s la...

News  Updated at: 2024/02/29

GlobalData blog: The Asian sales outlook – slowdown ahead The Asian automotive market finished 2023 with phenomenal results. Total Light Vehicle (LV) sales in the region reached an all-time high of 46.1 million units (+9.3%), exceeding the previous record-high of 44.5 million units in 2017. Out of the twelve Asian countries that we tracked in detail, four countries broke their records and registered their all-time highs: China*, India, Australi...

News  Updated at: 2024/02/08

GlobalData blog: The polarisation of China’s automobile production capacity Due to the ongoing vigorous price war, 2023 will turn out to be an exciting and high-profile year for China’s automobile industry. From leading brands to niche brands, from new energy vehicles (NEVs) to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, fierce competition has occurred throughout the year. China’s light vehicle (LV) production total has ranked first in the w...

News  Updated at: 2023/12/18

GlobalData blog: Thailand set to be relegated to 3rd place in the ASEAN LV market in 2023 For more than a decade, Thailand and Indonesia have taken turns to be the largest and second-largest Light Vehicle (LV) markets in the ASEAN region. However, 2023 will be a challenging year for Thailand to maintain its position within the top two markets in the region. For the first nine months of this year, Indonesia held on to the top spot with cumulative ...

News  Updated at: 2023/12/12