China drives global auto production to new records
Lined up to top a billion by the end of 2012. — Picture courtesy of shutterstock.comWASHINGTON, Sept 14 — Auto production is set to break new records, with the Worldwatch Institute predicting 81.8 million units in 2012, a phenomenon driven by China and emerging countries.
While production rose from 74.4 million to 76.8 million between 2010 and 2011, 2012 could see an all-time high at 81.8 million predicted units.
In 2011, an estimated 691 million vehicles were on the world’s roads — 979 million including trucks and utilities. The world fleet could top 1 by the end of 2012.
The number of cars in China grows by 25 per cent each year, reaching 73 million last year. All in all, the number of cars running in developing countries (outside member economies of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) doubled these past 10 years.
Sales of hybrid cars are also improving, though the production of type of car — led by China, the US, Japan and Germany — represents no more than 2 per cent of the total production. — AFP/Relaxnews
