This year, the 47th Bangkok International Motor Show was held at the Impression Exhibition Centre in the northern suburbs of Bangkok, Thailand. The BYD booth attracted numerous consumers who were looking at, test-driving, and inquiring about the cars.
Panida, a company employee from Bangkok, and her husband got into a BYD ATTO 2 with their child.
“BYD cars are reasonably priced, have low running costs, and offer reliable after-sales service. Many of my friends drive them too,” Panida said.
China’s new energy vehicles are gaining popularity in the global market.
In Southeast Asia, consumers in countries like Thailand and Singapore are willing to wait in long lines to purchase popular Chinese new energy vehicle models.
In Europe, in May, five Chinese automakers sold 138,000 vehicles in 31 European countries, a year-on-year increase of over 64%. For the first time, monthly new car registrations by Chinese automakers in Europe surpassed those of Japanese automakers.
In South America, Brazil has become the largest destination for Chinese new energy vehicle exports. In July, BYD’s Brazilian factory saw its 100,000th new energy vehicle roll off the production line.
These vibrant scenes vividly illustrate the Chinese automotive industry’s accelerated efforts to build a new development pattern: strengthening the domestic circulation, optimizing the domestic and international dual circulation, connecting and promoting mutual development between domestic and international markets and resources.
Looking at a longer timeframe, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) bears witness to the transformation of China’s automotive industry in the global market:
977,300 vehicles and 7,098,000 vehicles. These represent China’s automobile exports in 2013 and 2025 respectively, a more than six-fold increase.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s automobile exports experienced explosive growth, increasing by millions of vehicles annually, successively surpassing the 2 million, 3 million, 5 million, 6 million, and 7 million vehicle milestones.
From January to July this year, my country’s automobile exports reached 6.14 million vehicles, a significant year-on-year increase of 66.8%.
China’s rise to become the world’s largest automobile exporter owes much to the strong performance of new energy vehicles.
From 2020 to 2025, my country’s new energy vehicle exports are projected to increase from 69,000 vehicles to 2.615 million vehicles, a more than 36-fold increase in five years.
In June this year, China’s monthly automobile exports exceeded 1 million units for the first time, a year-on-year increase of 75.1%, of which new energy vehicle exports reached 523,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 1.6 times, accounting for more than 50%.
Going global, Chinese new energy vehicle companies are vying for dominance—
Chery, SAIC, BYD, and other early adopters of overseas markets have become leaders in this field, leveraging their scale and technological advantages.
Traditional automakers like Geely, Changan, and Great Wall are accelerating their globalization strategies, expanding into overseas markets through localized production and partnerships with multinational brands.
Emerging electric vehicle manufacturers such as XPeng, NIO, and Leapmotor are using their intelligent technology advantages as a breakthrough point to gradually open up high-end overseas markets…
Behind this quantitative growth lies a qualitative leap. Advanced production capacity and high-quality products are driving the “going global” of Chinese new energy vehicles.
Looking at the product structure, these are all mainstream mid-to-high-end models that have withstood the test of domestic market competition, many being brand flagships. On July 16th of this year, XPeng held the global launch event for the MONA L03 in Munich, Germany, marking a simultaneous launch and release of the global model in China and Europe.
Looking at the final retail prices, they are generally higher than in the domestic market. The BYD ATTO 3 (known as Yuan PLUS in China) starts at 120,000 yuan in China, but its price in Europe is equivalent to over 300,000 yuan. The high-end version of the Jike 001 rivals traditional European luxury vehicles, priced at over 70,000 euros.
Looking at brand reputation, Chinese new energy vehicles have become synonymous with “high-end and high-quality,” completely shedding the stereotype of traditional gasoline vehicles as “low-end and cheap.”
BYD’s exploration of becoming a “co-builder and participant in the local new energy industry chain” is persistent and in-depth.
BYD has integrated its R&D, production, sales, service, supply chain, and even business model into Brazil. This includes not only the manufacturing of complete vehicles, electric buses, and truck chassis, but also the construction of comprehensive production capabilities such as lithium iron phosphate battery material processing, and the development of numerous local suppliers. By 2027, BYD expects local suppliers to account for more than 50% of its business.
In traditional mature markets in Europe and the United States, overseas multinational companies are actively introducing and adapting Chinese technology routes. Stlantis Group has partnered with Leapmotor on electric drive systems and is in talks with Huawei and JAC Motors to launch a jointly developed model bearing the Maserati badge, marking the first time Huawei’s full-stack self-developed technology has entered the century-old European luxury brand system.
In July of this year, CATL and Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy company, announced the establishment of a joint venture to introduce China’s “Qiji battery swapping technology” to Europe and jointly build a battery swapping super hub, with plans to build the first batch of demonstration battery swapping stations in the UK next year. This is another milestone event for China’s new energy vehicles in their journey towards ecological globalization.
Going global is never a smooth road. In recent years, the overseas policy environment has been particularly volatile.
In 2023, Turkey imposed an additional 40% tariff on Chinese pure electric vehicles; in 2024, the EU imposed countervailing duties of up to 35.3% on Chinese electric vehicles, and the US imposed a 100% tariff on imported Chinese electric vehicles; in 2026, Mexico imposed tariffs of up to 50% on passenger cars from non-free trade partners… Trade barriers, compliance costs, and cultural differences—each is a hurdle.
“Different regions present different challenges. This is an inevitable stage for Chinese companies going global; it’s a comprehensive test, but also an opportunity for growth,” said Luo Hao, Assistant General Manager of Brand and Public Relations at BYD Group.
The ability to achieve strong growth against the odds amidst these challenges stems from the fact that Chinese new energy vehicle companies’ approach to going global has never been one of one-way market expansion or zero-sum games, but rather one of mutual benefit and shared prosperity.
“Our philosophy is ‘to be a part of local development wherever we are,’ which means creating jobs, cultivating talent, generating tax revenue, and improving local industrial development,” said Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Automobile.
Changan Automobile is building a green and intelligent new energy vehicle manufacturing base in Rayong, Thailand, integrating technologies such as photovoltaic power generation and greywater reuse to achieve near-zero wastewater discharge and a significant reduction in energy consumption per unit of output.
Geely Automobile has invested in Proton, a Malaysian national brand, providing it with technological, management, and supply chain resources to help it turn a profit and revitalize its brand.
China’s new energy vehicle exports have consistently adhered to inclusive economic globalization, providing high-quality, cost-effective vehicles suitable for people around the world, especially in the global south, based on their economic levels, lifestyles, and purchasing power.
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, commuter Lucas used to buy used cars, but now, with a Chinese new energy sedan, the car flexibly adapts to the narrow streets of the old city, and the extremely low charging costs significantly reduce his financial burden.
In South Africa, Shane, an entrepreneur in the roadside assistance business, frequently used vehicles, but his previous older models often broke down. After switching to a Chinese new energy vehicle, its superior quality and stable performance completely solved his car problems, and his business is thriving.
According to data from the International Automobile Manufacturers Association, nearly 80% of the global automotive market’s growth potential is concentrated in the South. Leveraging its first-mover advantage in electrification and intelligentization, as well as its cost advantages across the entire industry chain, China’s new energy vehicles have not only brought the once unattainable dream of owning a car to many ordinary families in the South, but also provided a green path to intelligent electric mobility for many developing countries.
Chinese automakers are striving to become world-class automotive companies.
By the end of 2025, China’s automotive industry will achieve three milestones: FAW-Volkswagen will produce its 30 millionth vehicle, Changan Automobile will produce its 30 millionth Chinese-brand vehicle, and the national annual automobile production and sales will exceed 31 million units.
In July 2025, China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd., a new state-owned automotive enterprise established in Chongqing, will launch the “All Rivers Run into the Sea” plan, clearly defining its new strategic positioning and goal of building a world-class automotive group with global competitiveness and independent core technologies.
“We will first build service centers, spare parts centers, and call centers to establish a robust service system,” said Jia Lishan, Vice President of China Changan Automobile. Changan Automobile plans to build more than 1,000 sales and service outlets in Europe by 2030.
In 2025, BYD will surpass Tesla to become the world’s largest seller of pure electric vehicles. On June 9th of this year, Wang Chuanfu, founder, chairman, and president of BYD, reiterated his ambition at the shareholders’ meeting to achieve true global leadership within five years.
Notably, BYD’s first overseas Skyrail line opened in Brazil this year, and the company plans to complete the deployment of 6,000 fast-charging stations overseas by March next year.
SAIC Motor President Jia Jianxu believes that the value pursuit of Chinese automakers going global today has shifted from competing for market share to building a global industrial community.
“Each industry has its own unique beauty, and together we can achieve a harmonious and shared future. The fruits of China’s automotive industry transformation benefit the world,” said Liu Yan, chief lecturer at the China Automotive Strategy and Policy Research Center.
As more new energy vehicles crisscross roads around the world, and as the intelligent connected travel experience benefits more people in developing countries, the “going global” strategy of Chinese new energy vehicles is not only a fruitful result of industrial development but also a vivid testament to green, low-carbon development and the concept of ecological civilization.
