Beijing (ZXZC)- Geely Automobile Holding Limited sold 20% fewer vehicles in October when compared with the same month of last year amid COVID-19 resurgence in some areas and global automotive chip supply shortage, the group said today.

The monthly sales of the largest privately-owned automobile group in China, including the sales volume of LYNK & CO-branded vehicles sold by the Group’s 50%-owned joint venture, totaled 111,599 vehicles, down by 20% from a year ago, but up by 7% month over month. Besides, another 1,223 vehicles were delivered to its subscription customers in the European market in October.

LYNK & CO brand sold 21,707 vehicles last month while its Jan.- Oct. sales grew by 33% year on year to 169,667 vehicles.

The Xingyue L, its high-end flagship SUV, was hit so hard by the chip supply shortage that its monthly sales were only 4,092 units. But the model’s orders have exceeded 75,000 so far.

Xingyue L; photo credit: Geely

Among those vehicles the group sold last month, 7,909 were new energy and electrified vehicles (NEEV), including battery electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, mild hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. That was a year-on-year jump of 36%. In the first ten months of this year, its NEEV sales jumped nearly 20% year on year to 65,015 units.

The group said it exported 10,104 vehicles in October, representing an increase of 8% from a year earlier while its monthly sales in domestic market fell 22% versus the same span of 2020 to 101,495 vehicles. Its year-to-date export volume totaled 86,041 vehicles, a surge of 76% compared with the same period of last year.

By the end of October, the group had sold 1,033,395 vehicles this year, up by 2% from a year ago and only accomplishing 68% of its 1.53 million annual sales target. A total of 3,123 vehicles had been delivered to its subscription customers in the European market this year.