Toyota has overtaken Volkswagen to be the world's top automaker in terms of raw car sales for 2020, cementing the top spot for the first time since 2015.
Toyota has regained its position as the best car seller in the world. Credit: ANM / Flickr
In a Thursday address, the Japanese automaker said its global sales fell 11.3% to 9.528 million vehicles last year compared to VW's 15.2% drop to 9.305 million sales.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the automotive sector hard owing to showroom closures, and a recent semiconductor shortage has ensured the industry may not bounce back from the pandemic for another few months.
Read more: China to increase semiconductor production capacity to address global shortages
Japan and the Asian region, in general, has been less affected by the coronavirus, which means Toyota has weathered better than its Western peers.
Asian markets have also seen demand for traditional combustion engines rebound owing to numerous pledges towards greener engines. As a result, many automakers across the world are currently scrambling to implement new EV brands to corner the markets.
A Toyota spokesperson admitted that EV's accounted for 23% of their total sales for 2020, up from 20% for 2019.
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