China overtakes Japan in global car exports, leads industry shift
9:17 AM EDT, August 3, 2024
The Chinese surpassed their Asian neighbors in 2023 and have no intention of giving up the leading position.
The Chinese are holding strong. This statement applies to the automotive industry today as well. Not Europe, not the United States, and since 2023, not even Japan, but China is now the world's largest exporter of cars. The figures published by "Automotive News Europe" do not lie.
The Chinese took the lead last year and did not intend to relinquish it. In the first six months of 2024, they exported 2.79 million cars, recording a 31 percent increase compared to last year. Second place in this ranking goes to Japan, which sold 2.02 million vehicles abroad—0.3 percent less than the previous year.
Although electrification is gaining momentum, most vehicles exported from China are still internal combustion cars—2.19 million. However, 605 thousand electric cars represent a 13 percent increase compared to the first half of 2023.
The biggest exporters were giants like Chery Automobile Co., SAIC Motor Corp., Changan Automobile Co., Geely Automobile Holdings, and BYD Co.
