Discounts, lower fuel prices pushing up car sales

New Delhi: While the car manufacturing industry in India continues to be in a bind due to raw material constraints, auto dealers in the national capital said the year-end festive spirit has brought in potential buyers. The latest trend sees increase in demand of petrol-based vehicles, surpassing diesel-based vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs).

Peeyush Dubey, Senior Manager at AutoVikas Car Dealership, said that while the market remained lull since the beginning of September till November end, auto dealers are now receiving customer enquiry for purchase of four-wheelers, with sellers offering cashback reward and extended car warranty to attract more customers.

"We are having a Rs40,000 cashback on Tata Safari and Rs20,000 cashback on other popular car range. For Altroz series, we are giving a cashback of Rs10,000. The auto sales have been picking up for a few months now, but no in the same pace as last year," Dubey said.

Sharing similar sentiments on the car sales and hype in the market, Anant Sharma, a Gurugram-based auto dealer, said that when it comes to bigger vehicles in the SUV range, diesel vehicles are in demand. For hatchback cars, the demand is for the petrol fuel four-wheelers.

"Lower production of cars has been a spoil sport for the market, but we have good stock of auto

brands including Maruti, Tata motors. Hike in prices of diesel and petrol was another reason why

most customers were hesitant to buy fuel-based cars, especially during Diwali period. But we can see customers inquiry coming in with reduction of petrol and diesel prices," Sharma said.

He also added that there is an increase in inquiry of electric vehicles in Delhi since the month of July. As per the auto dealer, there has been up in sales of electric vehicle from two per cent since beginning of 2020, to seven per cent from August 2021.