Despite trade barriers in Western markets, Chinese automakers expand international presence due to EV exports
The year 2025 was great for the growth of the Chinese market in several aspects, especially in the automotive sector. In the month of November, Chinese automakers exported 87% more electric vehicles than a year earlier, according to data extracted from Chinese customs.
Among the largest importers of Chinese vehicles in the last month, Mexico remains the leading country, showing an increase of 2,367% in imports, reaching almost 20 thousand units. In sequence, the other countries that imported the most were Indonesia and Thailand, with 17 thousand and 13 thousand units, respectively.
SEE ALSO:
The growth of the export flow of Chinese electric vehicles has been intensifying and expanding to various markets. Its strongest and most consolidated market is Asia, which, in November, concentrated about 71% of Chinese vehicle exports, totaling 110 thousand units in this period alone. During the entire year 2025, it is estimated that around one million cars were exported to Asia alone.
The European and Latin American markets occupy second and third place respectively. Despite the various measures to contain the advance of the Chinese market in Europe, the continent still remains a strong buyer, registering 604 thousand vehicles imported during 2025, a growth of 12% compared to 2024, with the United Kingdom and Belgium as the main consuming countries.
China’s increased share of the Western market, particularly the European market, is a cause for concern among both local manufacturers and politicians. The measures adopted by these actors, however, end up facilitating the insertion and popularity of Chinese cars in Europe, in addition to making them an alternative for emerging markets.
