Eastern zone emerges fastest-growing market for auto firms; PV sales up 17%

The growth seen in the East was much higher than the national average growth of sub-8 per cent in FY18

The smallest contributor to domestic car sales by region, the eastern zone, is now the automobile industry’s fastest-growing market, thanks to a rise in consumer spends. The region’s passenger vehicle, or PV (cars, vans, and utility vehicles, or UVs) sales grew at 17 per cent in 2017-18 (FY18), compared to a 12 per cent growth in the North, 6 per cent in the West, and 3 per cent in the South. The trend has continued in the current year. Of the eight states that grew more than 30 per cent in the first quarter (Q1) this year, five (Assam, Bihar,