Report: Trade dispute lowers Jan-Sep car imports by 4.2% YoY

SHANGHAI, Dec 5 (SMM) – China imported 847,000 automobiles in January-September, down 4.2% from the same period in 2017, according to data by China's biggest auto import dealer Sinomach Automobile. 

US-China trade disputes accounted for part of the decline, according to Sinomach Automobile. 

In January-September, new-energy vehicle (NEVs) imports slid 1% year on year as additional tariffs on US cars affected imports of Tesla vehicles. NEV imports from Tesla accounted for 86% of China’s total NEV imports in the first nine months of the year.

For 2019, Sinomach believes that China's car imports are likely to fall over 5% from 2018 if macroeconomics worsen.