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Investigation

Export figures highlight the most popular models, with BYD Song Plus leading the pack at 134,105 units, followed closely by MG ZS with 91,706 units, and Chery Tiggo 5X in third place with 69,838 units.

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3 min read
Investigation
Investigation

Investigation

China's automobile industry has shown impressive growth in the first half of 2025, with domestic brands leading the charge. The export market, in particular, has seen a significant shift, with Chinese manufacturers claiming top spots and posting impressive year-on-year increases.

The BYD Song Plus, a popular model in China, has made a remarkable leap, jumping from 11th place last year to the first position this year. The vehicle exported an impressive 134,105 units, marking a year-on-year surge of 184.0% or an increase of 86,882 vehicles compared with the same period last year [1].

Chery, another Chinese automaker, has taken the lead among the top ten vehicle exporters, with 548,000 vehicles exported in the first half of 2025 [1]. The Chery Discovery 06 C-DM, in particular, has moved up the ranks, going from 271st place to 8th among the top vehicle exporters, with an astonishing 342,380.0% increase in export volume from the same period last year [1].

Among the top 20 most exported models, gasoline-powered vehicles still dominate, while only nine new energy vehicles (NEVs) made the list. However, the growth in NEV exports is noteworthy. The number of BEVs exported increased by 40.2% year-on-year, while the number of PHEVs increased by 210%. In total, 1.06 million NEVs were exported, including 670,000 BEVs and 390,000 PHEVs [1].

The MG ZS, another successful Chinese model, has also seen a rise in popularity, jumping from 5th place last year to the second position this year, with 91,706 vehicles exported, up 45.4% year-on-year or an increase of 28,627 units [1].

The data shows strong growth especially for domestic brands such as Geely and Chery, while foreign brands like Honda, BMW, and Mercedes experienced declines [1]. Geely, for instance, exported more than 200,000 vehicles in the first half of 2025, along with SAIC and Changan [1].

China's EV exports grew 19% in the first five months of 2025, led by Chery, MG, and Geely [1]. The top 10 automakers in terms of vehicle exports from China in the first half of 2025 and their year-on-year growth rates are:

  1. BYD: Around 1.5 million units exported, with a 13.2% year-on-year increase.
  2. Geely: 2nd place with an 88.1% year-on-year growth.
  3. Volkswagen: Slight growth of 0.1% year-on-year.
  4. Toyota: 9.1% year-on-year growth.
  5. Changan: Despite a 4.4% decline, it gained one spot to #5.
  6. Wuling: 24.1% year-on-year growth.
  7. Chery: 25.1% year-on-year growth.
  8. Honda: Declined 29.6%, dropping to #8.
  9. BMW: Declined 15.5%.
  10. Mercedes: Declined 14.4%.

These rankings reflect total exports for passenger vehicles, with a total export volume increase of 6.8% to 2,479,000 units in H1 2025 [1]. The data also shows that total Chinese passenger vehicle wholesales increased 12.2% year-on-year to 13,279,000 units in the first half of 2025, with cumulative output increasing 13.5% [1].

Total car exports from China reached 3.48 million units, rising 18% year-on-year [4]. These figures highlight the robustness of China's automobile industry and the growing global demand for Chinese-made vehicles.

[1] Source: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers [4] Source: China Passenger Car Association

  1. The impressive growth of China's automobile industry in the first half of 2025, as shown by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, has been marked by a significant shift towards new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the export market.
  2. In the automotive industry, foreign brands like Honda, BMW, and Mercedes have experienced declines, while domestic brands such as BYD, Geely, and Chery have shown strong growth, especially in electric-vehicles (EVs) exports, with Geely and Chery leading the charge.
  3. The data from the China Passenger Car Association reveals that China's EV exports grew 19% in the first five months of 2025, led by brands like Chery, Geely, and BYD, signifying a growing global demand for Chinese-made vehicles.
  4. The Finance industry has played a crucial role in the growth of the automotive industry in China, as the increasing sales of new energy vehicles contribute to the country's efforts in reducing carbon emissions and moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle in transportation.

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