In June, 138,801 total fleet units were sold, an 18% month-over-month decrease compared to 168,166 in May but a 63% increase from June 2020, which recorded 85,104 units, according to a Cox Automotive news release. 

This brings the first-half total combined large rental, commercial, and government purchases of new vehicles to 969,751. First-half fleet sales increased 5% over this time in 2020 but decreased 41% from the same time in 2019 when 1.63 million units were sold.

Sales into rental increased 531% year over year in June but remain down 3% in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period last year. Commercial sales gained 13% year over year and are up 27% in 2021. Including an estimate for fleet deliveries into the dealer and manufacturer channel, we estimate that the remaining retail sales were up 15% year over year in June, leading to an estimated retail seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 13.4 million, up from 11.6 million last June but down from June 2019’s 13.6 million rate.

June total new-vehicle sales were up 18% year over year, with the same number of selling days compared to June 2020. The June SAAR came in at 15.4 million, an increase from last year’s 13 million but down from June 2019’s 17.2 million rate.

2021 year-to-date total combined large rental, commercial, and government purchases of new vehicles to 969,751 units, a 5% increase from this time in 2020 when 923,603 units were sold but a 41% decrease from the same time in 2019 when 1.63 million units were sold.

Cox estimates a 35% increase in retail sales with commercial fleet up 27%, rental down 3%, and government down 15% compared to the same time in 2020.