China’s Auto Exports Set to Surpass 10 Million in 2026 as Automakers and Suppliers Unveil Latest Moves

From January to March 2026, China exported 2.226 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 56.7%. Of these, 954,000 were new energy vehicles (NEVs), surging by 120% year-over-year. A senior official from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers stated that China’s total vehicle exports for 2026 are expected to exceed 10 million units. On May 13, Lotus Cars unveiled its "Focus 2030" strategy, centering on brand reinforcement, diversified powertrain pathways, global synergy, and financial discipline. In terms of powertrain deployment, the company will simultaneously advance internal combustion engines (ICE), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Its short-term target is for plug-in hybrid models to account for approximately 60% of production, with BEVs making up the remaining 40%. NIO announced that retail deliveries of its all-new ES8 reached 13,020 units in April, marking the fifth consecutive month it has topped sales charts among large SUVs and vehicles priced above RMB 400,000. The Aito M6 launched on April 22, offering four variants across two powertrain options—range-extended and pure electric—with prices ranging from RMB 259,800 to RMB 299,800. Within just 19 days of launch, over 10,000 units were delivered. In an interview, Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto, stated the company would not proactively lay off employees and advised businesses in the AI era to avoid workforce reductions based on outdated criteria. He emphasized that talent selection would occur through natural attrition mechanisms. According to an announcement from Voyah Automotive, as of May 12, 2026, Dongfeng Motor Corporation—the company's controlling shareholder—held a combined stake of 70.02%. This includes a recent purchase by Dongfeng Hong Kong of 20,192,000 H-shares, representing 0.55% of the issued shares. The Nanjing base of SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Company rolled out its 100,000th MG4. Launched at the end of August 2025 with a starting price of RMB 68,800 (and a limited-time subsidized price from RMB 65,800), the model received a facelift at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026, maintaining unchanged pricing and specifications. On May 13, Nidec disclosed multiple instances of product quality falsification, involving unauthorized alterations to materials, manufacturing processes, and design specifications. The company has initiated an external expert investigation and stated no issues affecting product functionality or safety have been identified so far. It is currently engaging with customers and plans to announce remedial measures. Aptiv announced that its eighth-generation radar platform has been selected by Volvo Cars and will be deployed in Volvo’s next-generation vehicles starting in 2028. The two companies will jointly advance upgrades to software-defined vehicle architectures. Versigent held its brand launch ceremony recently in Jiading, Shanghai. The company was spun off from Aptiv on April 1, 2026, and is now listed on the New York Stock Exchange. EVE Energy signed an 8 GWh energy storage battery order with India’s Godawari Power & Ispat Ltd., with potential collaboration volume reaching 60 GWh over the next five years. The partnership will focus on large-capacity 628 Ah energy storage batteries. Lens Technology stated that its automotive glass products are already in mass supply. The first production line at its Xingsha plant, with an annual capacity of 350,000 sets, is now operational. Three additional lines will come online in the second half of the year, expanding into multifunctional products such as windshields, panoramic roofs, and electrochromic glass. Globally, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reported that global NEV registrations in April 2026 rose 6% year-over-year to 1.6 million units but declined 9% month-over-month. High oil prices continue to drive consumers toward electric vehicles. Oula Wanxiang, a household embodied intelligence company, completed a financing round worth several hundred million RMB, led by China Merchants Venture Capital. Proceeds will support building a robotics data closed-loop system, delivering product prototypes, and recruiting talent. Indonesia’s Minister of Finance announced that due to rising international oil prices increasing import burdens, Indonesia will implement a new round of EV subsidies starting June 2026, covering 100,000 electric cars and 100,000 electric motorcycles. Only battery electric vehicles will qualify for VAT incentives; hybrid models will be excluded from the subsidy program.