2.854 Million Vehicles Shipped in First Five Months, Up 16.8% Year-on-Year. Despite facing a complex international landscape, both the export volume and value of Chinese automobiles grew in the first five months of the year, fully demonstrating the strong competitiveness and resilience of China's automotive industry. Of particular note is that more and more Chinese automakers are accelerating their presence in emerging overseas markets, continuously discovering new growth opportunities.

According to Sun Xiaohong, Secretary-General of the Automotive Internationalization Committee of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, the first five months of 2025 showed a distinct trend of 'stable total volume and structural differentiation' in China’s automobile exports. It is expected that in 2025, China's complete vehicle exports will maintain steady progress, reaching around 6.6 million units for the year.

Broader Overseas Market for Complete Vehicle Exports

Asia, Europe, and Latin America have become the main overseas markets for China’s complete vehicle exports. From a volume perspective, in the first five months of the year:

• Exports to Asia reached 1.178 million vehicles, up 39.1% year-on-year, accounting for 41.3% of total exports.
  
• Exports to Europe were 680,000 vehicles, down 17.6%, accounting for 23.8%.
  
• Exports to Latin America totaled 613,000 vehicles, up 20.4%, accounting for 21.5%.
  

In terms of destination countries, Mexico, the UAE, and Russia were the top three in export volume:

• Mexico: 240,000 vehicles, up 16.8%
  
• UAE: 190,000 vehicles, up 64.2%
  
• Russia: 153,000 vehicles, down 59.0%
  

Regarding export value, UAE, Mexico, and Belgium were the top three:

• UAE: USD 3.19 billion, up 68.9%
  
• Mexico: USD 2.95 billion, up 16.3%
  
• Belgium: USD 2.67 billion, down 19.1%
  

In the first five months, China's complete vehicle exports to emerging markets saw both volume and value grow year-on-year. Specifically:

• Vehicles exported to 202 countries and regions reached 2.33 million units, up 16.9%
  
• Export value totaled USD 38.08 billion, up 8.1%
  

Significant growth was observed in exports to UAE, Australia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, increasing by 64.2%, 51.9%, 131.8%, and 86.9%, respectively.

Sun Xiaohong noted that the most notable change in China’s complete vehicle export landscape over the first five months was a shift in regional focus—from overreliance on single markets to diversified global layouts. Markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Latin America all saw progress. Despite uncertainties caused by anticipated tariff changes in the U.S., China’s vehicle exports remained stable overall.

Automakers Accelerate Expansion into New Markets

The steady growth in China’s automobile exports is inseparable from the tireless efforts of Chinese automakers. Despite challenges in markets such as the EU, Chinese auto manufacturers have not slowed their pace of expanding overseas. Instead, they are actively entering emerging markets in Africa, the Middle East, and South America in search of new growth points.

BYD is one such company. On April 24, BYD partnered with CFAO Group to hold a brand launch event at the GANHI flagship store in downtown Cotonou, Benin. They introduced the Yuan PLUS and Dolphin models and unveiled a service center and showroom to provide comprehensive sales and after-sales services to local consumers. On June 5, BYD held another launch event in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, with a local distributor, again introducing the Yuan PLUS and Dolphin. According to Yao Shuzeng, BYD’s Director of Automotive Sales in Africa, entering the Gabonese market marks another step in BYD’s African expansion. Gabon’s electrification goals align with BYD’s vision, and local drivers will benefit from BYD’s world-leading EV technologies and enjoy an environmentally friendly driving experience. So far, BYD has entered 17 African countries and regions, actively contributing to the continent's green transition.

In South America, BYD is also expanding aggressively. Recently, the company launched new versions of the Song PLUS and Song PLUS PREMIUM in São Paulo, Brazil. Alexandre Baldy, BYD Brazil’s Senior Vice President and Head of Automotive Sales and Marketing, noted that the new models were tailored to meet the needs of Brazilian consumers, with enhanced smart connectivity and improved design.

Not only BYD—SAIC Motor is also actively expanding in emerging markets. Recently, IM Motors, a smart EV company co-founded by SAIC Motor, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech, and Alibaba Group, launched the IM LS7, a flagship mid-to-large SUV, in Mexico. As a core product in IM’s internationalization strategy, the LS7 overseas version features innovations such as a 106° IMAX panoramic view, full-scene intelligent five-seat configuration, zero-gravity seats, and one-click AI valet driving. With its strong product competitiveness, the LS7 offers a fresh intelligent mobility experience for Mexican consumers. IM Motors also plans to accelerate expansion into Oceania, the Middle East, and other high-end EV markets.

As Chinese automakers continue to bring high-quality new products and experiences to global consumers, China’s share in the global automotive market is expected to keep expanding.