Export Market Landscape Restructuring

The landscape of China's automobile exports underwent significant changes in 2025. Cumulative data for the year shows that Mexico, with 625,000 vehicles exported, surpassed Russia for the first time to become China's largest export destination for automobiles. Meanwhile, the UAE ranked third with 572,000 vehicles exported, followed by the UK, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia in fourth to sixth place respectively.

In terms of incremental growth, the UAE became the fastest-growing market for Chinese automobile exports in 2025, with an increase of 241,700 vehicles compared to the same period last year. Mexico ranked second with an increase of 180,500 vehicles.

However, it is worth noting that the Mexican Congress approved a bill on December 10, 2025, imposing tariffs of up to 50% on imported automobiles and other goods from China starting in January 2026. Considering the data for December alone, the current export market structure may be disrupted again in the near future.

In December, the UAE surged to the top spot with 106,400 vehicles exported, a year-on-year increase of 67,844 vehicles. The UK ranked third with 54,800 vehicles, an increase of 40,800 vehicles compared to the same period last year.

Looking at the export market structure, the market share of the Middle East, Central and South America, and Europe increased in 2025. Cui Dongshu pointed out in his analysis: 'Chinese automakers in the Russian market have become more risk-averse. Although domestic sales in Russia did not decline significantly throughout the year, our exports to Russia saw a substantial decrease in 2025.'

This change reflects that Chinese automakers are proactively adjusting their global market layout, reducing reliance on a single market, and enhancing their resilience. Especially in the face of uncertainties in international trade policies, a diversified market strategy is particularly important.

New Energy Vehicles Lead Growth

China's new energy vehicle exports performed exceptionally well in 2025, reaching 3.43 million units, a year-on-year increase of 70%, far exceeding the 16% growth rate in 2024.

The strong growth of new energy vehicles, especially plug-in hybrid models, demonstrates that China's automotive industry has achieved international competitiveness in electrification technology.

From a powertrain perspective, China's auto exports are undergoing a significant electrification transformation. In 2025, pure electric vehicles accounted for 28% of total exports, a year-on-year increase of 2 percentage points; plug-in hybrid electric vehicles accounted for 13%, a year-on-year increase of 8 percentage points; and hybrid electric vehicles accounted for 6%, a year-on-year increase of 2 percentage points. The proportion of pure gasoline vehicles dropped to 43%, a year-on-year decrease of 11 percentage points, indicating that China's auto export structure is rapidly shifting towards new energy vehicles.

The top five markets for new energy vehicle exports in 2025 were Belgium, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, and the Philippines. These markets saw significant increases in new energy vehicle exports, with Mexico increasing by 140,600 units, the UAE by 115,200 units, and the UK by 111,900 units.

Export Growth Faces Global Challenges

Regarding the average export price, the average price of Chinese auto exports in 2025 was US$16,000, a continued decline from US$19,000 in 2023 and US$18,000 in 2024. Cui Dongshu analyzed that this change mainly stemmed from the structural impact of the declining export share of Tesla.

Looking ahead, China's auto exports still face multiple challenges and opportunities. Changes in international trade policies, the economic conditions of target markets, and geopolitical factors will all influence the trend of China's automobile exports.

Cui Dongshu believes, 'Recently, China's automobile exports have shown a super-fast growth trend. As long as the international market environment remains stable, there is still huge potential for the development of China's automobile exports.'

With the continuous maturation of China's new energy vehicle technology and the sustained decline in costs, the competitiveness of Chinese automobiles in the global market is expected to further improve.

In December 2025, China's automobile exports reached 990,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 73% and a month-on-month increase of 23%, demonstrating strong growth momentum. However, this momentum will also face the challenges of growth in the global market.

According to reports, data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, which studies the electric vehicle supply chain, shows that although global electric vehicle sales grew by 20% to 20.7 million units in 2025, the growth rate at the end of the year had fallen to its lowest point in nearly two years. The agency predicts that the growth rate of global electric vehicle sales will slow to 15.7% in 2026, and the global electric vehicle market is experiencing a significant cooling, with a decline in the willingness to purchase pure electric vehicles in all major markets.

Whether the high growth of China's automobile exports is sustainable will depend on whether Chinese automobile companies can continue to provide competitive products, as well as the overall trend of global automobile market demand.

New Energy Vehicles Lead Growth

China's new energy vehicle exports performed exceptionally well in 2025, reaching 3.43 million units, a year-on-year increase of 70%, significantly higher than the 16% growth rate in 2024.

The strong growth of new energy vehicles, especially plug-in hybrid models, demonstrates that China's automotive industry has achieved international competitiveness in electrification technology.

In terms of powertrain structure, China's automotive exports are undergoing a significant electrification transformation. In 2025, pure electric vehicles accounted for 28% of total exports, a year-on-year increase of 2 percentage points; plug-in hybrid models accounted for 13%, a year-on-year increase of 8 percentage points; and hybrid vehicles accounted for 6%, a year-on-year increase of 2 percentage points. The proportion of pure gasoline vehicles dropped to 43%, a year-on-year decrease of 11 percentage points, indicating that China's automotive export structure is rapidly shifting towards new energy.

The top five markets for new energy vehicle exports in 2025 were Belgium, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, and the Philippines. These markets saw significant increases in new energy vehicle exports, with Mexico increasing by 140,600 units, the UAE by 115,200 units, and the UK by 111,900 units.

Export Growth Faces Global Challenges

Regarding average export prices, the average price of Chinese automobile exports in 2025 was $16,000, a continued decline from $19,000 in 2023 and $18,000 in 2024. Cui Dongshu analyzed that this change mainly stemmed from the structural impact of the declining export share of Tesla.

Looking ahead, Chinese automobile exports still face multiple challenges and opportunities. Changes in international trade policies, the economic conditions of target markets, and geopolitical factors will all influence the trend of Chinese automobile exports.

Cui Dongshu believes: 'Recently, Chinese automobile exports have shown a super-fast growth trend. As long as the international market environment remains stable, there is still huge potential for the development of Chinese automobile exports.'

With the continuous maturation of China's new energy vehicle technology and the continuous decline in costs, the competitiveness of Chinese automobiles in the global market is expected to further improve.

In December 2025, China's automobile exports reached 990,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 73% and a month-on-month increase of 23%, showing strong growth momentum. However, this momentum will also face the challenges of growth in the global market.

According to reports, data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a research firm specializing in the electric vehicle supply chain, shows that while global electric vehicle sales grew by 20% to 20.7 million units in 2025, the growth rate had already slowed to its lowest point in nearly two years by the end of the year. The firm predicts that global electric vehicle sales growth will further slow to 15.7% in 2026, indicating a significant cooling in the global electric vehicle market, with a decline in willingness to purchase pure electric vehicles in all major markets.

Whether the high growth rate of Chinese automobile exports is sustainable will depend on whether Chinese automakers can continue to provide competitive products, as well as the overall trend of global automobile market demand.