China has rapidly become the world’s largest car exporter, fueled in part by a surge in electric vehicle (EV) sales, positioning China as a key global player. In 2019, the country exported 0.7 million cars, but by 2024, that number had risen to 5.5 million, surpassing Japan, Mexico, and Germany, Senior Partner Daniel Zipser and colleagues note. EVs composed nearly 40 percent of China’s passenger vehicle exports in 2024 and nearly half in the first half of 2025.
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A pair of charts illustrate global car exports by volume in million units, comparing data from 2019 and 2024, by country. 2019 shows Japan as the largest exporter with 4.8 million units, followed by Germany at 3.5 million, Mexico at 3.4 million, South Korea at 2.5 million, the US at 1.5 million, and China at 0.7 million. In 2024, China had become the largest exporter with 5.5 million units, followed by Japan at 4.2 million, Mexico at 3.5 million, Germany at 3.4 million, South Korea at 2.5 million, and the US at 0.8 million.
A second chart is a tree map that breaks down China’s OEM exports by the top five in million units, with Chery leading at 1.1 million units, followed by SAIC at 0.5 million, and Geely, BYD, and GWM each exporting 0.4 million units.
Note: This image description was completed with the assistance of Writer, a gen AI tool.
Source: China Customs; German Federal Statistics Office; Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association; Korea Automobile & Mobility Association; National Institute of Statistics and Geography; US Census Bureau.
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To read the article, see “Mid-year update: Five surprises from China’s consumer market,” August 13, 2025.