Car exports surge in Q1 despite woes

Nation exports 1.42 m vehicles, up 7.3 percent y-o-y, CAAM data show

Chinese car exports experienced a surge in the first quarter despite looming US tariff threats, driven primarily by enhanced product competitiveness and a slight sales growth in Global South countries, said Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association.

Simultaneously, automotive components achieved historic peaks in exports during the quarter, with the United States being the primary market for such parts, Cui said.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), in the first quarter, China exported 1.42 million vehicles, marking a 7.3 percent year-on-year increase. Chery led the pack with around 254,000 units exported, a marginal 0.1 percent increase, comprising 17.9 percent of the total exports. BYD followed closely, exporting around 214,000 vehicles, an impressive surge of 120 percent year-on-year.