Shanghai (ZXZC)- Japanese automaker Honda said on Thursday it delivered 128,713 new vehicles in China last month, posting a year-on-year drop of 4.1%.

Accord; photo credit: Honda China

The decrease was attributed to the decline in GAC Honda's deliveries. Retailing 62,373 vehicles, the joint venture with GAC Group saw its monthly deliveries drop 9.2% compared to year-ago period. However, Dongfeng Honda still scored a year-on-year growth of 1.2% by handing over 66,340 vehicles to consumers.

In May, a total of 20,087 consumers in China took delivery of Honda's vehicles armed with the hybrid powertrain system “Sport Hybrid”, representing a growth of 21.7% from a year earlier.

As of May 31, 2021, Honda witnessed its year-to-date China deliveries leap 42.3% year over year to 668,367 units, 96,877 units of which were powered by “Sport Hybrid” system.

As for the year-to-date performance of two joint ventures, GAC Honda recorded a jump of 26.1% with a delivery volume of 306,983 units, while Dongfeng Honda’s deliveries amounted to 361,384 units, soaring 59.8% over the prior-year period.

The Japanese automaker exhibited the world premiere of the Honda SUV e: prototype, a prototype model of the first Honda-branded all-electric vehicle designed for China, at the Auto Shanghai 2021. According to a local media report, the mass-produced model will be produced by both Dongfeng Honda and GAC Honda under the codes of 3BS and 3BR respectively, and is scheduled to go on sale in spring 2022.

As part of efforts to strengthen the BEV offensive in China, Honda will introduce 10 Honda-brand BEV models within five years.