The Chinese automotive industry set a new record: in June 2026, car exports exceeded 1 million units for the first time. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), 1.037 million cars were shipped abroad during the month — 11.6% more than in May, and a significant 75.1% increase compared to June last year.

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In the first half of the year, export volume reached 5.096 million cars, which is 65.3% higher than the figure a year ago. This result significantly exceeded CAAM's January forecast, which predicted that exports for the whole of 2026 would grow by only 4.3% — to 7.4 million vehicles.

The main growth factor was new energy vehicles. Their exports in June amounted to 523 thousand units, increasing 1.6 times year-on-year. For the first time, such models accounted for more than half of all monthly exports. Over the six months, 2.355 million electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids were sent abroad — this is 46.2% of all exported cars.

Experts attribute this success to a developed production chain, competitive battery and electronics costs, and the rapid adoption of technologies such as 800-volt architectures, large-scale body casting, and modern driver assistance systems. Additional demand is provided by markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Russia, where new car sales continue to grow.

However, analysts warn that export rates may slow down in the second half of the year. Reasons cited include European trade restrictions, anti-subsidy investigations, and the high base effect from last year.

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