Chongqing - Recent data from Wang Lingjun, Deputy Director-General of the General Administration of Customs of the PRC, reveals that China’s exports in H1 2025 exceeded 13 trillion yuan (approx. 180.95 billion USD), a 7.2% year-on-year increase, with the automotive sector leading the growth.

At the Guoyuan Port in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, vehicles are ready to be loaded onto ships for export overseas. (Photo/Ran Yulin)

According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China exported 3.083 million vehicles in H1 2025, up 10.4% year on year. New energy vehicles (NEVs) accounted for 1.06 million units, surging 75.2% compared to the same period last year.

Historically, China’s auto exports hovered around one million units annually, but have soared in the past three years, reaching 3.111 million in 2022, 4.91 million in 2023, and 5.859 million in 2024.

Global consulting firm AlixPartners noted in its 2025 Global Automotive Outlook that intensifying competition has accelerated overseas expansion among capable Chinese automakers and suppliers. The firm projected that Chinese brands' global (non-China) market share—estimated at 4% in 2024—could rise to 13% by 2030, with Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America identified as key growth regions.

Despite the EU's imposition of countervailing duties on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) starting in late October 2024, Chinese automakers have continued to strengthen their presence in Europe. According to Dataforce, a market-research firm, Chinese brands sold over 60,000 vehicles in the European market in May 2025, representing an 85% increase year-on-year and a record 5.4% market share.

Leading performers include SAIC Motor and BYD. Dataforce reported that SAIC sold approximately 26,000 vehicles in Europe in May, with its MG brand standing out in the UK. MG sold 7,562 units in June, capturing 4.0% of the UK market. Although MG originated in the UK, it became part of SAIC following two acquisitions between 2005 and 2007. BYD delivered 13,000 vehicles in Europe in May, surpassing Tesla’s European sales in April.

Beyond SAIC and BYD, other Chinese automakers are expanding rapidly across Europe. In early July, Chongqing-based Changan Automobile opened its first European flagship store in Norway, introducing the Deepal S07, a NEV model under its Deepal brand headquartered in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area. Around the same time, Geely signed a distribution agreement with Jameel Motors, an automotive distributor, to jointly develop the Italian market.

Chinese brands are also accelerating their expansion in Southeast Asia and South America. AlixPartners projects that by 2030, Chinese automakers will hold a 31% market share in Southeast and South Asia, and 28% in Latin America, both representing gains of over 20 percentage points from current levels.

In both markets, many Chinese automakers are opting for local manufacturing. In June, GAC Group announced that its smart factory in Jakarta, Indonesia, had begun operations, with the first AION V rolling off the line. The facility has an initial annual capacity of 20,000 units, with plans to scale up to 50,000 units, covering both EV and hybrid platforms. Xpeng also confirmed that production of its right-hand-drive X9 model would begin in Indonesia in July, marking the company’s first localized manufacturing project overseas.

In May 2025, Changan Automobile launched its first overseas NEV assembly plant in Rayong, Thailand. According to Chairman Zhu Huarong, the company plans to invest 30 billion baht (approximately 900 million USD) to build a complete industrial chain in Thailand, including vehicle manufacturing, R&D, and local services.

In early July, BYD announced that the first vehicle had rolled off the line at its new passenger vehicle plant in Brazil. The facility is a core part of BYD’s NEV manufacturing complex in the country, with a total investment of approximately 7.22 billion yuan. It will produce both battery electric and plug-in hybrid models, with an initial annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles to be sold in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and other regional markets.