Rabat – Sales of new cars in Morocco slightly decreased in 2022 compared to the previous year, dropping from 175,360 vehicles in 2021 to 161,410 in 2022, according to data from the Association of Vehicle Importers in Morocco (AVIAM).
Speaking during the association’s annual report conference, AVIAM’s President Adil Bennani attributed the 8% annual decrease in car sales to the global context, including the rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, the increase in hydrocarbon prices, as well as the drop in local demand.
He noted that passenger vehicle sales have recorded a slight drop in the past year, with 143,186 units sold in 2022 down from 154,123 in 2021.
In terms of brand, Hyundai (third place), Toyota (seventh place), and Kia (ninth place), among other Asian brands, have jumped by one spot each among the best-selling brands in the passenger vehicles category.
According to Bennani, the aforementioned automotive manufacturers have suffered the least from semiconductors shortage compared to their European competitors.
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Meanwhile, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) registrations have experienced a more notable decline of 14% compared to 2021, which AVIAM’s president attributed to a “lack of visibility and uncertainties about the economic context.”
With regard to engine types, sales of gasoline engines recorded a 14.3% year-on-year rise in 2022, up from 10.8% in 2021. Bennani noted that the sales of alternative engines have increased by 17%, representing 3.5% of the market.
In addition, he highlighted the increasing presence of non-thermal motor vehicle operators in the market, noting that 18 brands and 71 models were featured in the Moroccan market in 2022, compared to 16 brands and 57 models in 2021.
He concluded that the COVID-19-induced disruptions, coupled with the Ukrainian war, had a remarkable impact on the global automotive industry, which has reached the Moroccan market.
