Market Trends of Automotive All-wheel-drive Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Automotive All-Wheel-Drive Market according to our research experts:
The Increasing Demand for Sports Utility Vehicles
Factors such as sportier handling and increased grip and traction with all-wheel drive have resulted in the demand for passenger cars, especially SUVs, compared to sedans and crossovers.
The growth in SUV sales has been consistently increasing during 2018-2022 due to the improving economic conditions across both the developing and developed countries. More than 65% of the SUVs on the road are currently installed with all-wheel drive powertrain systems. For instance,
- The volume of SUVs volume, reaching 200 million units in 2019. SUVs represented some 29.6 million global car sales a year later; In 2020, electric SUVs added another 1.1 million units.
Safe on-road drivability in winter or any hazardous climatic conditions is a significant factor driving people to choose passenger cars installed with all-wheel drive type powertrain systems, especially in North America and Europe. Also, all-wheel drive is anticipated to be deployed at a considerable rate in electrified powertrain cars, such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles. For instance,
- Tesla Inc., one of the prominent manufacturers of electric vehicles in the world, has started shifting from rear-wheel drive with one motor at the back to all-wheel drive, where two electric motors drive each axle. Tesla's models have already begun to opt for the latter feature.
Thus, all-wheel drive is anticipated to experience growth from the ICE cars sector and the growing hybrid electric cars during the forecast period.
The Growing Demand for AWD in Asia-Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region has always been on top in terms of car production and sales compared to other areas. For instance,
- In 2021, over 21 million passenger cars were sold in China, making it the largest market in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan was the second biggest market in the area, with over 3.6 million unit sales in 2021.
With advanced technologies, the trend of shifting vehicle operations from complex mechanical systems to electronically controlled systems has become possible and is now playing a vital role in uplifting the automotive industry. AWD is one such system that has experienced the above trend significantly over the past five years. Most of the OEM car makers have now launched an affordable AWD Suv in a market that will target the majority of customers. For instance,
- In March 2022, The Mahindra Thar is currently the most affordable 4x4 car available in the Indian market, with a base price of Rs 13.17 lakh that goes all the way up to Rs 15.53 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom).
Players in the automotive industry continuously focus on developing and improving each part associated with the AWD system to enhance the AWD performance and fuel economy further. For instance,
- In January 2020, Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissan revealed a high-power, twin-motor all-wheel-control test car equipped with new technologies being developed for the company's next generation of EVs.
