Automotive Sector Billing Rises 28.4% to $2.946B in Q1 2026
Ecuador's automotive sector posted its strongest first-quarter billing in more than a decade, according to El Universo reporting on Aeade data.
The sector reached $2.946 billion in first-quarter 2026 billing, up 28.4% from $2.296 billion in the same period of 2025.
Q1 Billing Mix
| Segment | Q1 2026 Billing |
|---|---|
| Commerce and repair of vehicles and motorcycles (G45) | $2.762B |
| Vehicle manufacturing, trailers and semi-trailers (C29) | $187M |
| Total sector billing | $2.946B |
El Universo reports that both G45 and C29 were above levels generated since 2015.
Total automotive billing through March equaled 4.64% of all private-sector billing reported to the Servicio de Rentas Internas (SRI) from January through March 2026, based on local sales and exports of $63.532 billion.
Manufacturing And Commerce Detail
| Indicator | Reported Change |
|---|---|
| March sector billing YoY | +31.7% |
| March sector billing vs. February 2026 | +16.5% |
| Vehicle manufacturing billing | $130.3M, +39.4% |
| Parts, pieces and accessories manufacturing | $24.9M, +56% |
| Bodywork manufacturing | -1.4% |
| Vehicle sales billing | $1.5197B, +38.2% |
| Vehicle sales billing increase vs. Q1 2025 | $420.3M |
Pichincha represented 54.6% of vehicle and trailer manufacturing billing, rising from $64.4 million in early 2025 to $102.1 million in 2026.
El Universo reports that Pichincha, Guayas, Azuay and Tungurahua together accounted for 88.4% of commerce and repair billing for vehicles and motorcycles.
Their reported growth rates were 36.3%, 18.1%, 20.9% and 38.7%, respectively.
What To Watch
- Whether the Q1 billing acceleration continues into Q2 sales and repair data.
- SRI-reported private-sector billing share for automotive activity after March.
- Manufacturing growth in Pichincha, given its reported 54.6% concentration.
- Whether vehicle sales billing remains above the 38.2% Q1 growth rate as tariff and used-vehicle competition dynamics evolve.
Source: El Universo
Source
El Universo — "Sector automotor facturo 28 % mas en el primer trimestre de 2026, al alcanzar $ 2.949 millones"
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