BEIJING, July 2026 - According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), China's total vehicle exports increased 53.8% year-on-year in the first five months of 2026, with export value growing 56.2%. New energy vehicle exports surged 78.5% during the same period, accounting for 71.6% of total vehicle exports and serving as the primary engine of China's automotive overseas expansion.
The Yangtze River Delta region, as China's automotive industry hub, has been significantly boosted by the "New Three" exports (EVs, lithium batteries, and solar cells). In the first five months, Zhejiang Province's "New Three" exports grew 51.7%, with electric vehicle exports alone surging 91.8%. Shanghai's electric passenger vehicle exports rose 33.9%.
The top 10 auto exporters were led by Chery with 931,500 units (up 70.9%) and BYD with 769,300 units (up 73.6%), together accounting for nearly 40% of the top 10 total. Chery set consecutive monthly export records in the first half, with European market exports exceeding 138,800 units in January-May, up 216.7%.
Source: CAAM, MOFCOM, Baijiahao, 2026
