Shanghai (ZXZC)- SAIC Motor said its complete vehicle wholesales reached 406,735 units in May 2021, dropping 14.02% compared to the same period in 2020 and representing the first-time year-on-year decrease after eleven straight months of increase.

In the Jan.-May period of the year, the Shanghai-based auto giant sold 1,968,664 vehicles in total, recording a year-over-year jump of 25.42%, versus the 42.44% increase in Jan.-Apr. sales.

The decline in May sales mainly resulted from the double-digit sales decrease confronting both SAIC Volkswagen and SAIC-GM. The two joint ventures, who ranked second and third respectively among all subsidiaries by May sales, sold 110,000 and 80,350 vehicles last month.

As of May 31, 2021, SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) had been honored the No.1 subsidiary for the third month in a row. The joint venture is always very nimble in rolling out new products to adapt to changing demands from consumers. It announced on June 3 its plan to launch an all-new nine-seater minivan in response to China's newly-issued three-child policy.

SAIC Motor PV, SAIC Motor's self-owned PV arm that operates Roewe, MG, and R Auto, saw its wholesales in May inch up 1.42% from the previous year to 53,000 units, the winner of the fourth place among subsidiaries.

Hongguang MINIEV; photo credit: SGMW

In May, there were over 52,000 consumers taking delivery of SAIC Motor's new energy vehicles (NEVs), representing a year-over-year hike of 364.9%. To be specific, the deliveries of the Hongguang MINIEV reached nearly 30,000 units, and SAIC PV Motor delivered more than 11,000 NEVs, a 175.7% surge from the year-ago period.