Honda Motor faces 2-digit YoY dip in Jan. China sales

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Honda Motor delivered 64,193 vehicles in China in Jan. 2023, facing a year-on-year plunge of 56.2% due to the impact of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, the Japanese automaker said a few days ago.

Of the vehicles sold last month, 11,158 units were electrified vehicles, which include hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and battery electric vehicles (BEV). 

As for the performance of two joint ventures, GAC Honda saw its monthly deliveries tumble 49.6% from the previous year to 40,284 units in Jan. 2023, while Dongfeng Motor's Jan. deliveries plummeted 64.1% over a year earlier to 23,909 units.

Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. ("Honda China") announced on Jan. 30 that its wholly-owned subsidiary Honda Motor (China) Technology Co., Ltd. ("HMCT") would merge with Honda Engineering China Co., Ltd. ("EGCH") in order to further strengthen the strategic operation system for its China production works in the era of electrification.

After the merger, HMCT would continue to exist and the main business of EGCH will be taken over by HMCT Manufacturing Technology Guangzhou Company, according to Honda China's press release.

To boost its electrification transition in China, Honda Motor aims to launch 10 e:N Series all-electric models in China by 2027. Both GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda have already kicked off construction of electric vehicle manufacturing plants.