CAAM Forecasts China's Auto Exports to Surpass 10 Million by 2026

At the 2026 China Automotive Industry Development (TEDA) International Forum, He Yi, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), stated that China’s automobile exports are expected to surpass 10 million units in 2026. According to data, China produced and sold 34.531 million and 34.4 million vehicles respectively in 2025, representing year-on-year increases of 10.4% and 9.4%, maintaining its position as the world’s largest automotive market for the 17th consecutive year. Among these, new energy vehicle (NEV) production and sales exceeded 16 million units, accounting for more than 50% of total domestic new vehicle sales. In 2025, China exported a total of 7.098 million vehicles, ranking first globally, including 2.615 million NEVs—an increase of 100% year-over-year. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, vehicle exports reached 2.226 million units, up 56.7% year-on-year, with NEV exports totaling 954,000 units, surging by 120% compared to the same period last year.