Used Trucks Imports Increased by 25 Percent: ANPACT

Heavy vehicle imports increased by 25.1 percent during the first seven months of 2021, compared to last year’s figures, reported ANPACT. These numbers contrast with the low sales and production struggles in the local automotive industry.

Between January and July 2021, 6,394 used trucks entered Mexico from the US, 1,283 more during the same months in 2020. These numbers represent the highest imports registered during the first seven months of a year since 2014, when 11,742 units entered the country.

Fifty-eight percent of the total used heavy vehicles imported since 2009 (73,881 units) are between 11 and 20 years-old. The rising figures are worrying because of their negative effects both in the environment and the final user’s experience, alerted Miguel Elizalde, President of ANPACT.

“The increase in imports of junk vehicles for passenger use reduces the quality of service for the users in terms of safety and efficiency and generates negative environmental conditions, which is why it is necessary to promote public policies aimed at promoting the renewal of passenger transport, with incentives and financing through the Development Bank, as it is carried out in the countries that have committed in favor of the environment,” he said.

With 972 used heavy vehicles imported, July 2021 reported a 2.4 percent increase compared with the same month in 2020. Diesel-fueled buses imports increased by 12.9 percent in that same period and by 54.8 percent when comparing 1H2020 with 1H2021.

Elizalde has talked about the importance of vehicle park renewal in the past, pointing it as the key to achieve improvements in mobility. “We have to work to reduce the importation of used vehicles and promote vehicle park renewal. This is the only way we could be able to consolidate the economic reactivation and detonate an inclusive mobility for the country’s cities,” he said back in July.

The Mexican senate and stakeholders are developing a new law in terms of mobility and road safety since December 2020. This law will include the creation of a fund to improve mobility, which should not be restrictive to infrastructure, said Elizalde. "These funds could be used for vehicle park renewal besides infrastructure. By producing vehicles with state-of-the-art environmental technologies, we could also contribute to reduce emissions."

The heavy vehicle market recovered this year from a tough 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic “severely affected” sales. However, sales are still down from pre-pandemic levels. During 1H2021, sales shrank by 32.8 percent in comparison to 1H2019, when sales of heavy vehicles amounted to 21,888 units.