- In the USA, the definition of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles differs from that found in Europe, Japan and China. Minivans, SUVs and crossovers are in the light truck category (while in Europe and Asia, they are part of the passenger car category).

- Considering this ranking, light trucks have begun to overtake passenger cars in terms of sales volumes between 2002 and 2007, with the arrival of many new models on the market, especially SUVs and crossovers that precipitated the demise of estate bodies (station wagon).

- The collapse of the market in 2008 seems to have greater impacted this type of vehicle since the decline in sales of light trucks was stronger than that of passenger cars. As of 2013, light trucks once again outpaced passenger cars and accounted for 52% of the market in 2014, where sales of light trucks will reach 8.4 million against 7.9 million passenger cars.

- The largest carmakers of light trucks in the US are General-Motors, Ford and Fiat-Chrysler which together account for 60% of the LCV market, while the largest carmakers of PC are Toyota, General Motors, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan and Honda, that account for 65% of the market of PC.

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- For several years now, Opel, the German make of the GM group has stopped designing light commercial vehicles. Since 1998, the Opel Movano is actually a rebadged Renault Master and since 2001 the Vivaro is based  on the Renault Trafic.

- Since 2012, Opel has been working hand in hand with Fiat in order to manufacture a small LCV  namely the Opel Combo. Previously based on the Opel Corsa, the Combo has become a rebadged version of the Fiat Doblo. Unfortunately, the Opel Comba (based on the Doblo) has not reached it sales target (Reaching only 30 000 units a year), The LCV market has considerably reduced between 2007 and 2012 and hence the partnership between GM and Fiat will not be continued for the next generation Combo. In fact, the agreements signed between GM and PSA in 2012 should have concluded in the production of a segment B vehicle.

- The future Combo (2017?) will hence be based on the next generations of the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner that will be launched toward the end of 2016. The combo will be manufactured in a PSA plant; either in the Mangualde plant (Portugal) or in the Vigo plant (Spain) where PSA makes its small LCVs.

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- In China, sales of Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles grew by 328% over the first 8 months of 2014 compared to the first 8 months of 2013.

- 31 137 electric and hybrid vehicles were manufactured and sold in China during this period, of which 6 621 were plug-in hybrids (i.e. 12 times more than last year and 16 276 electric vehicles (7 times more than in the first 8 months of 2013). The sales of classic hybrid vehicles remained stable at 8 240 units.

- In August alone, 5 191 electric and classic hybrids were manufactured (i.e. 11 times more than in August 2013), Which bodes well for an even stronger growth in the future than that experienced today, and a sales volume close to 50 000 units over the whole of 2014.

- Within this segment, the production of electric commercial vehicles increased by 55% over eight months, and plug-in hybrid commercial vehicles increased by 91%, while that of non-rechargeable hybrid vehicles remained stable.

- Despite these increases, the production of such vehicles is a very small share of total vehicle production in China (only 0.2%). It should be noted that in Europe this segment represents  2% of the total market and in the United States this segment represents almost 4%.

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Contact us: info@inovev.com