Car losses in Tianjin become clearer

Many imported cars parked at the Tianjin port have only their frames remaining after violent explosions.[Zhu Xingxin / China Daily]

Automakers release new figures on blast damages

More than 10 days have passed since massive explosions rocked the port of Tianjin on Aug 12 and some automakers which have a presence near the site of the blasts have released new information.

On Saturday, FAW Toyota issued its second announcement since the explosions. It said 3,449 of its cars parked outside the factory were damaged in the blasts, and 28 units of import CBU (Complete Built Unit) cars were also damaged.

Toyota said some customers will receive their deliveries late, but it will deliver cars as fast as it can and release subsidies later.

On the same day, Lexus announced that none of is staff had been hurt in the explosions, but 783 units of its vehicles were parked near the port. It said that the customers will receive deliveries late.

On Wednesday, Wang Henan, head of the Volkswagen imported car public relations department, said 2,746 of its vehicles were damaged in the blasts, close to the media reports last week that the automaker lost 2,748 cars in the explosions.

Wang said company representatives still cannot enter the site to verify the extent of the damage, or other details such as the models of the cars that were destroyed.

Volkswagen announced on Aug 13 that some of its cars had been damaged, but the number was unclear at that time.

Renault announced the same day that about 1,500 of its cars were damaged in the blasts.

Renault is considering rerouting all the cars it planned to deliver to Tianjin to the port in Shanghai. Qingdao will also be a future option for its shipments in China after the blasts, said Lin Yaping, head of the Renault public relations department.

According to Lin, 55 percent of Renault's shipments usually go to Tianjin, and the remainder to Shanghai.

Volkswagen and Renault suffered the highest losses, according to caijing.com.cn.

Costly compensation

According to a Reuters report on Wednesday, at least 67 Toyota employees were injured in the explosions, and Toyota's operations in Tianjin would remain closed until at least Sunday due to safety concerns.

Sichuan FAS Toyota Motor, Toyota's local joint venture, planned to close its Changchun plant in northeast China on Friday as customs clearance of parts shipped from Japan has been delayed by the blasts. The company will make up for lost output by scheduling substitute production days, Reuters reported.