Electrified models assure Abeifa associates’ positive performance

By Redação AutoIndústria | 10/4/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

With ten affiliates – including importers and also brands producing locally -, Abeifa registered a positive balance in September and the year.

Imports reached 23,311 units in the first nine months, 80% more than the 12,950 in the same period in 2022. 3,861 imported vehicles were licensed in September, a 15.3% increase over August and expressive 109.8% over September last year (1.840 units).

João Henrique Garbin de Oliveira, Abeifa’s president, acknowledges the country’s gradual economic recovery contributes to the associates’ favorable figures.

Nonetheless, he emphasizes that the technological transition manifested by the Brazilian consumers’ growing interest has been key to the growth of import vehicle sales.

“We follow with attention the potential unfolding of the discussions on increasing the import tax over electrified models and its possible impact on the brands’ competitiveness and consumer access to these technologies”, said Oliveira.

An MDIC (Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services) representative admitted last month that the government mulls to revise the import tax exemption for electric and hybrid vehicles.

The idea should be a gradual return with growing indexes that could reach 35%, the same currently applied to all other vehicles, or 23% as proposed by Abeifa, considering the current Mercosur Common External Tariff.

Of the ten Abeifa associates, only Land Rover and Suzuki produce locally. The other members are Aston Martin, BYD, Jaguar, JAC, Kia and McLaren.