Trucks led P.E.I. vehicle sales through the pandemic

After struggling through 2020, P.E.I. vehicle dealerships have seen a strong start to 2021, and trucks are leading the way.

In fact, truck sales have remained relatively strong throughout the COVID-19pandemic, while car sales crashed. In 2020, dealerships sold about five per cent fewer trucks than in 2019, and 35 per cent fewer cars.

Trucks generally have a higher value than cars. That resulted in sales measured in dollars rather than numbers of vehicles that were down 12.2 per cent for the year.

January and February are not typically strong months for vehicle sales, but as early indicators for what 2021 might bring, they did show sales growth.

As measured in dollars, sales are up 16 per cent over the pre-pandemic months of January and February 2020.

Again, trucks have been leading the way.

Sales of cars were, in fact, still down in the first two months of the year, with 10 per cent fewer units sold. The number of trucks was up almost 10 per cent.

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