Toyota Motor reported a 6.2% drop in global production for November, marking the 10th consecutive month of decline.
The world’s largest automaker manufactured 869,230 vehicles last month, a larger drop than October’s 0.8% decrease. Despite the production slump, Toyota’s worldwide sales rose for the second straight month, driven by strong demand in the U.S. and China.
In the U.S., production fell by 11.8%, showing a slow recovery, despite the resumption of Grand Highlander and Lexus TX SUV production in late October after a four-month halt.
In China, production decreased by 1.6%, but this was an improvement over the previous month’s 9% decline. Local sales of Toyota’s Granvia and Sienna minivans, as well as its electric sedan bZ3, developed with BYD, contributed to the better performance.
To counter growing competition from BYD and other Chinese automakers, Toyota is planning to build an independent plant in Shanghai. The new facility will begin producing electric vehicles for Toyota’s Lexus luxury brand around 2027, according to a Nikkei report.
In Japan, Toyota’s production decreased by 9.3% in November, partly due to a two-day halt at its Fujimatsu and Yoshiwara plants.
On a positive note, Toyota’s global sales rose by 1.7% in November, reaching 920,569 vehicles, setting a new record for the month. However, the company’s year-to-date production for January through November was down 5.2%, totaling around 8.75 million vehicles, while sales fell 1.2%.
These figures include vehicles from Toyota’s Lexus brand but exclude those from its group companies, Hino and Daihatsu.
