From January to September 2026, China’s automobile exports reached 8.63 million units—a 52% increase compared to the same period in 2025. In September alone, China exported 1.18 million vehicles, marking a 55% year-on-year increase and a 13% month-on-month rise, reflecting a robust overall trend.
Key drivers this year continue to be high global oil prices, the enhanced competitiveness of Chinese products, and sustained market growth across countries in the Global South.
In September, exports to Mexico and the Philippines experienced a significant month-on-month decline.
Between January and September 2026, Anhui province saw its automobile exports grow by 115%, with Zhejiang province ranking second.
Enterprises in Shanghai focus on higher-end vehicle exports, which command a higher average export price.
In September 2026, the top 10 destination countries for Chinese automobile exports were: Russia (112,962 units), the United Kingdom (58,740 units), Brazil (58,725 units), Australia (46,559 units), Belgium (45,369 units), Thailand (39,323 units), the United Arab Emirates (39,120 units), Mexico (38,962 units), Italy (37,731 units), and Spain (34,051 units). The five countries with the largest year-on-year increases in export volume for this period were: Russia (43,836 units), Brazil (34,423 units), the United Kingdom (31,173 units), Thailand (25,615 units), and Italy (25,024 units). Exports to Russia saw a significant recovery during the first nine months of 2026.
For the period from January to September 2026, the top 10 destination countries for total vehicle exports were: Russia (752,602 units), Brazil (539,675 units), the United Kingdom (424,173 units), Australia (373,674 units), Belgium (367,879 units), Mexico (361,518 units), Italy (245,836 units), the United Arab Emirates (237,970 units), the Philippines (235,933 units), and Thailand (224,121 units). The five countries with the largest year-on-year increases in export volume during this period were: Russia (394,809 units), Brazil (321,527 units), the United Kingdom (199,582 units), Australia (150,298 units), and Italy (136,011 units).
Throughout this year, growth rates for various vehicle categories—as tracked by customs data—have diverged; passenger vehicles have shown strong overall momentum, while the market share for trucks was relatively weak in September.
In September, growth in the pickup truck segment accelerated, whereas heavy-duty truck exports retreated from their previous highs; meanwhile, other truck segments demonstrated robust market performance.
Among buses, the large and medium-sized segments underperformed, while the export share for light-duty buses rebounded to 63% in September.
In September 2026, China’s exports of new energy vehicles (NEVs) reached 612,000 units—a 104% year-on-year increase. For the first nine months of the year, cumulative exports totaled 4.07 million units, reflecting a strong 75% growth rate. Furthermore, NEV exports in September saw a 23% month-on-month increase compared to August.
In September 2026, the top 10 destination countries for China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) exports were: Belgium (43,675 units), the United Kingdom (43,548 units), Brazil (42,130 units), Thailand (37,714 units), Australia (33,437 units), Germany (26,465 units), Spain (24,711 units), Italy (24,134 units), Russia (17,520 units), and the Philippines (17,027 units). The five countries with the largest year-on-year increases during this period were: Brazil (30,759 units), Thailand (25,201 units), Australia (24,072 units), the United Kingdom (24,027 units), and Belgium (22,806 units).
For the period from January to September 2026, the top 10 destination countries for China’s NEV exports were: Brazil (379,234 units), Belgium (351,032 units), the United Kingdom (313,638 units), Australia (270,577 units), Thailand (213,455 units), the Philippines (205,197 units), Germany (142,382 units), Italy (133,234 units), Spain (131,120 units), and South Korea (125,164 units). The five countries with the largest year-on-year increases during this period were: Brazil (237,917 units), Australia (161,462 units), the United Kingdom (160,373 units), Belgium (127,500 units), and Thailand (116,136 units).
There are notable differences in the export patterns across various types of new energy vehicles. From January to September 2026, the primary export destinations for battery electric passenger vehicles (BEVs) were: Belgium (245,860 units), Thailand (198,551 units), Brazil (196,069 units), Australia (192,382 units), and the United Kingdom (159,580 units). From January to September 2026, the primary export destinations for plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles were Brazil (181,165 units), the United Kingdom (151,559 units), Belgium (101,962 units), Italy (84,119 units), and the United Arab Emirates (76,601 units).
For plug-in hybrid trucks, the main export destinations for the year up to September 2026 were Australia (17,346 units), Argentina (3,849 units), Mexico (2,754 units), Pakistan (2,500 units), Chile (2,220 units), and New Zealand (2,064 units).
The primary export destinations for battery electric buses for the full year were Nepal (2,325 units), Ethiopia (1,236 units), Pakistan (829 units), and Israel (739 units).
I. Overall Trends in Chinese Automobile Exports
After remaining at a plateau of around one million units for several years, China’s automotive exports achieved a major breakthrough in 2021.
Between 2013 and 2016, amid a global economic downturn, automotive exports experienced a sharp decline.
From 2017 to 2020, the growth rate of exports gradually stabilized and showed signs of improvement, with annual export volumes hovering around the one-million-unit mark.
In 2020, export volume reached 1.08 million units—a 13% year-on-year decrease—before entering a period of rapid growth starting in 2021.
Since breaking through the one-million-unit threshold in 2021, China’s automotive exports have maintained strong growth (increasing by 102% in 2021, by over 50% annually in 2022–2023, and moderating to around 30% in 2024–2025). From January to September 2026, exports reached 8.63 million units—a 52% increase compared to the same period in 2025—continuing the upward trend.
Recently, China’s automotive exports have exhibited an ultra-high growth trajectory. Provided that the international market environment remains stable, there continues to be significant room for the further development of China’s automotive exports.
Monthly Trends in Complete Vehicle Exports
Looking at monthly trends, China’s automotive exports have continued to show strong momentum in recent years, characterized by a divergence between rising exports and a sluggish domestic market.
From January to September 2026, the growth rate of exports remained notably robust, sustaining a persistent upward trajectory.
Despite the outbreak of a conflict between the U.S. and Iran, the diversification of export markets has shielded China’s automotive exports from significant external shocks, leading to a sustained surge throughout 2026.
From January to September 2026, China’s automobile exports reached 8.63 million units—a 52% increase compared to the same period in 2025. In September alone, exports hit 1.18 million units, up 55% year-on-year and 13% month-on-month, reflecting a robust overall trend.
Key drivers this year continue to be high global oil prices, the enhanced competitiveness of Chinese products, and sustained market growth across the Global South.
Monthly data indicates that Chinese automobile exports have maintained a seasonal pattern in recent years, characterized by an uptick during the summer months—a trend that contrasts with domestic market performance.
The relatively strong export growth from January to September 2026 is largely attributable to a sluggish domestic market, which has prompted companies to strengthen both their motivation and capacity to target overseas markets.
Structural Characteristics of Complete Vehicle Exports
Prior to 2020, China’s annual vehicle exports hovered around the one-million-unit mark; subsequently, they experienced sustained, rapid growth, reaching 8.33 million units by 2025. Exports of passenger vehicles have remained particularly strong, while exports of trucks and buses have also shown robust growth.
This year, growth rates across different vehicle categories—as tracked by customs data—have diverged. The growth rate for passenger vehicle exports has steadily recovered to 54%, while bus exports have grown by 25% and truck exports by 39%. Although the growth rate for trucks has lagged behind that of passenger vehicles, the export performance of electric trucks has been notably strong—a contrast to the relatively stable, flat trend seen in the domestic market for internal-combustion-engine trucks.
In terms of structure, the share of passenger vehicle exports has gradually stabilized, reaching 85% by 2023 and remaining relatively steady thereafter. Truck exports have seen a notable increase, driven by the rise of electric trucks.
In recent years, the share of bus exports has continued to decline to a lower level. As passenger vehicles remain the primary focus of trade, the combined share of truck and bus exports stands at 13%—slightly lower than the proportion of commercial vehicles in the domestic market.
Within the passenger vehicle segment, performance across key vehicle types has been fairly balanced. Looking at 2026, small passenger vehicles (with fewer than 9 seats) have shown strong export performance, accounting for 45% of total passenger vehicle exports—a figure that reached 48% in September. Although the decline in Tesla’s exports has had a significant impact, and the export growth of low-speed vehicles has slowed, exports of electric vehicles from domestic Chinese brands showed strong growth in September.
Trucks performed poorly in terms of their share in September.
Pickup truck exports saw increased growth in September, while heavy-duty truck exports retreated from a high level; other truck segments, however, showed a stronger market trend. Among buses, large and medium-sized models performed relatively weakly, while the share of light-duty bus exports rebounded to 63% in September.
