TEHRAN – Iran has been ranked the world’s 19th biggest automaker in 2021, according to the latest report released by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).

Based on the OICA data, Iranian automakers produced 894,298 vehicles in 2021 to register a two percent increase compared to 2020, IRNA reported.

Iran's car production in 2021 was higher than many industrialized countries such as Italy with 795,000 units, South Africa with 499,000 units, Poland with 439,000 units, Portugal with 289,000 units, Taiwan with 265,000 units, Belgium with 261,000 units, Austria with 136,000 units, Finland with 93,000 units and Egypt with 23,000 units.

China was by far the largest automaker in the world in 2021 followed by the United States. China's car production this year was reported to be 26,082,000 units. China's car production grew by about three percent in 2021. China produces almost three times as many cars as the United States.

The United States was in second place with 9.167 million units and Japan stood in third place with 7.846 million units. India with a production of 4.399 million units, South Korea with 3.462 million, Germany with 3.308 million units, Mexico with 3.145 million units, and Brazil with 2.248 million were the world's largest automakers, respectively.

Iran plans to reform its auto industry in order to increase both the production and quality of its products.

Back in January, Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Reza Fatemi-Amin said the country’s automotive industry was going to undergo a complete reform after the implementation of his ministry’s two-year evolution program.

Stating that nine transformation projects have been prepared for the automobile industry, Fatemi-Amin said: "The general plan is that in [the Iranian calendar year] 1401 (started on March 21) the structure of the automobile industry and the relations between parts manufacturers and automakers will be reformed and the overall promised production target will be achieved in [the Iranian calendar year] 1404 (begins in March 2025)."

The minister considered the current situation of the automotive industry very problematic and added: "We have done a lot of work in the automotive industry and we have had good successes and progress, but the result has not been satisfactory for the general public and the customers."

Referring to the complexities of the automotive industry, he noted: “A car has more than 2,000 parts and every day 4,000 cars are produced in the country; We do not have any other industries with such managerial, economic and technological complexities.”

In late December 2021, Fatemi-Amin had announced that his ministry prepared a nine-axis program for evolution in the automotive industry which would be published soon.

The mentioned program includes all challenges and solutions in this industry, the minister said.

EF/MG