China Has Quickly Become the World’s Largest Exporter of Cars 🚗

What We’re Showing

This chart shows the number of cars exported by major country producers (rolling 12 month sum). This data comes from Gavekal Research.

Key Takeaways

• Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese automakers have rapidly expanded into different parts of the world
• German exports declined sharply in the late 2010s, and have not yet recovered to previous levels.

China Finds Inroads in Emerging Markets

As trade relations with the West deteriorate, Chinese automakers have focused on expanding their footprint in emerging markets, particularly in Southeast Asia and Latin America. 

In these markets, vehicles from brands like BYD and Chery are often cheaper than their competition.

It’s worth noting that Chinese automakers are also trying to break into the European EV market, though tariffs have made things difficult. Reuters recently reported that Chinese brands are now pivoting to hybrids to avoid these tariffs.