Car and truck sales in the United States 2011-2021

In 2021, some 3.3 million automobiles, about 11.6 million light trucks, and some 451,400 heavy-duty trucks were sold to customers in the United States. The U.S. auto industry sold about 15.5 million motor vehicles in 2021—a slow recovery compared to 2020. Retail sales of motor vehicles declined significantly during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Pickup truck sales were the least affected by the pandemic because of their popularity in states with less stringent COVID measures.

Mass motorization fuels the market

As of 2022, over 76 percent of the U.S. population reported having access to their own car, with an additional 19 percent having access to a company or family car. This reliance on passenger vehicles is partly due to the U.S.’s extensive road network, which creates an incentive toward mass motorization and leads to higher demands, boosting the U.S. automotive market. As of March 2022, 48 percent of consumers in the United States reported they intended to purchase a car.

A success at risk due to the chip shortage

With over 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars in revenue from road vehicle and parts retail trade, the sector has swiftly recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic due to the rise in light truck sales. In contrast, interest in automobiles has been nosediving since 2015, as the U.S. consumers moved away from smaller models. Light trucks might, however, might fall victim to their own success. The global automotive chip shortage is an ongoing challenge in the industry. While passenger vehicle demand remains high, the monthly inventory-to-sales ratio has been nosediving since April 2020.