China is attracting non-Chinese manufacturers there. And it’s flooding the world with its cars.
Something extraordinary has happened in the battle between “Chinese car manufacturers and the rest of the world.” Within just five years, Chinese brands have dominated their domestic automotive market and begun an aggressive expansion across the globe. This expansion is so massive that China has become the world’s largest car exporter, surpassing all other manufacturers with 11 million cars sold. And they show no signs of stopping, neither at home nor elsewhere in the world.
China vs the Rest of the World
Michael Dunne, who closely analyzes the performance of the global automotive industry, has compiled the achievements of Chinese manufacturers in recent years. With relatively stable demand for cars in the domestic market, local brands have achieved the following market shares successively. The figures refer to all types of powertrains, but the explosive growth in interest is associated with brands producing NEVs, namely electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles:
2020 – 36 percent,
2022 – 49 percent,
2024 – 65 percent,
2026 – 80 percent (projection; 77.8 percent in August; source).
In just six years, local manufacturers have captured a larger share of the market than they did in 2020, with estimates suggesting an additional 44 percent — taking their total to over 80 percent. This means that non-Chinese brands, which held 64 percent of the market in 2020, will have to settle for around 20 percent by 2026 and compete for every fifth customer who, oddly enough, chooses to visit a Volkswagen or Toyota dealership rather than a local manufacturer’s store. It should be noted that the actual share is even smaller, as Tesla accounts for a significant portion of those 20 percent with its two bestsellers: the Model Y and Model 3.
The largest Chinese exporter of cars with all types of powertrains has for years been the state-owned 1/ Chery (Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo), which sold 950,000 cars worldwide in the first half of 2026. Right behind it is the newcomer, 2/ BYD, which exported 795,000 vehicles. Next is 3/ SAIC with 690,000 units, and 4/ Geely along with Volvo [only Chinese factories] at 590,000. Further down the list are 5/ Changan (460,000), 6/ Great Wall Motor (290,000), 7/ Dongfeng (190,000), and the “rest” which sold a total of 1 million cars outside China.
Editor’s note from Elektrowozu: although the United States is a tempting target, many Chinese brands reportedly regard competing in Europe as a fight for top prestige, aiming to show the Germans where their place is.
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