Car exports surge in Q1 despite woes

Vehicles to be loaded for export are parked at a port in Shanghai on April 13. (LONG WEI/FOR CHINA DAILY)

Chinese car exports experienced a surge in the first quarter despite looming US tariff threats, driven primarily by enhanced product competitiveness and a slight sales growth in Global South countries, said Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association.

Simultaneously, automotive components achieved historic peaks in exports during the quarter, with the United States being the primary market for such parts, Cui said.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), in the first quarter, China exported 1.42 million vehicles, marking a 7.3 percent year-on-year increase. Chery led the pack with around 254,000 units exported, a marginal 0.1 percent increase, comprising 17.9 percent of the total exports. BYD followed closely, exporting around 214,000 vehicles, an impressive surge of 120 percent year-on-year.

Overall, traditional fuel vehicles saw a 3.7 percent decrease to 978,000 units, while exports of new energy vehicles surged by 43.9 percent to 441,000 units. Within the new energy vehicle category, pure electric vehicle exports reached 290,000 units, up by 16.7 percent and constituting 66 percent of all new energy vehicle exports. Plug-in hybrid EV exports stood at 152,000 units, marking a 160 percent increase.

Despite the positive performance, Chen Shihua, deputy secretary-general of the CAAM, cautioned about the complex and volatile external environment, encouraging businesses to implement the national strategy of expanding domestic demand, closely monitor external changes and effectively address negative impacts on exports.

Cui said that the recent US tariff hikes have not significantly impacted Chinese automakers. One crucial factor is that in 2024, China exported only around 116,000 vehicles to the US, accounting for a mere 1.81 percent of total Chinese vehicle exports. Another factor is that domestic brands have thus far had close to zero sales presence within the US.

"In 2025, car exports have already reached a high level and automotive component exports have hit historic peaks, experiencing a remarkable surge. Motorcycle exports have also experienced robust growth," Cui said, highlighting that automotive component sales have performed well in the US market despite trade conflicts.

"In recent years, car exports have demonstrated exceptional performance, soaring from $34.5 billion in 2021 to $117.4 billion in 2024, indicating explosive growth. Furthermore, in 2025 there has been a consistent trend of slight monthly growth," he added.

Looking ahead, Cui said that Chinese automobiles hold significant development potential in the global market. He called for stronger internationalization efforts and deeper collaboration with countries and regions like those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and with Global South countries.

According to data from the CAAM, China's exports of automotive goods to other BRI economies in the first two months reached a cumulative total of $20.15 billion, an 8 percent year-on-year increase, constituting 57.8 percent of total automotive goods exports.

Specifically, vehicle exports reached 646,000 units, a 19.1 percent increase, while new energy vehicle exports reached 192,000 units, up by 51.7 percent, CAAM data showed.