From “Scale Leadership” to “Standard Leadership”:
China’s Automotive Exports Embark on a New Chapter
In the first half of 2025, while the global automotive market saw slowing growth and escalating trade barriers, China’s automotive exports still delivered an impressive performance. According to industry data, the total export volume of China’s passenger vehicles exceeded 2.6 million units, representing an 11% year-on-year increase, and China remained the world’s top passenger vehicle exporter. Particularly noteworthy is that the proportion of new energy vehicle (NEV) exports rose to 41%, demonstrating strong growth momentum. China’s automotive globalization is shifting from pursuing breakthroughs in “quantity” to achieving leaps in “quality” — a profound transformation from being an “export champion” to a “rule-maker” has begun.
In the first half of this year, a notable shift occurred in the structure of China’s automotive exports. The share of fuel-powered vehicle exports dropped from 65% in the same period last year to 51%, while NEVs have emerged as the new growth engine. Among NEVs, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) performed exceptionally well, with a year-on-year growth rate of 165%, gradually replacing pure electric vehicles as the main force in exports. This trend is particularly evident among leading automakers such as BYD and Chery.
Europe remains a strategic high ground for Chinese automakers in their global layout. Facing an increasingly complex trade environment, Chinese automakers have actively adjusted their strategies to enhance market resilience through localized production, joint ventures, and cooperative partnerships. For instance, BYD’s construction of a factory in Hungary and SAIC’s expansion of production capacity in Spain both demonstrate the determination of China’s automotive industry to deeply participate in the global division of labor.
China’s automotive exports are no longer confined to simple product output; instead, they have entered a new phase of brand building, localized operations, and ecological co-construction. At the brand level, companies like BYD, Chery, and Geely are continuously enhancing their international market recognition and influence through the deployment of high-end sub-brands, localized R&D, and channel development.
In terms of export models, Chinese automakers have demonstrated high flexibility, adopting multi-path strategies such as complete built-up (CBU) vehicle exports, completely knocked down/semi-knocked down (CKD/SKD) assembly, and localized production, tailored to different markets. This “adapting to local conditions” approach has significantly strengthened the risk resistance of China’s automotive global expansion.
More notably, China’s automotive exports are driving the globalization of the entire industrial chain. Supporting systems for batteries, auto parts, and intelligent technologies are beginning to expand overseas in an organized manner, achieving a leap from “selling products” to “exporting ecosystems.”
Despite these remarkable achievements, China’s automotive globalization still faces numerous challenges. Trade barriers in European and American markets remain high, some countries have implemented protectionist policies, and technical standards in areas such as intelligent connected vehicles and data compliance have become new access thresholds.
Looking ahead to 2030, China’s automotive export volume is expected to exceed 7 million units, with the proportion of NEVs possibly surpassing 50% and the scale of overseas localized production continuing to expand. More importantly, Chinese automakers are expected to play a key role in formulating global standards for electrification, intelligentization, and carbon neutrality, truly becoming “rule-definers” in the global automotive industry.
Against the backdrop of China’s automotive globalization entering the “second half,” auto parts enterprises have become a key force supporting the overseas expansion of complete vehicle manufacturers and enabling in-depth localization. Zhengheng Power is actively building global supporting capabilities, and through technological synergy, production capacity synergy, and standard synergy, it is jointly participating in international competition with Chinese automakers. Currently, the company has the capability to provide key components for new energy hybrid systems and high-efficiency internal combustion engines, while actively exploring modular, lightweight, and low-carbon product paths to align with international environmental protection and energy efficiency standards.
In the future, Zhengheng Power will further strengthen technological R&D, advance smart manufacturing, and build a more flexible supply chain system to support Chinese brand automakers in achieving more in-depth localized production overseas. We are willing to walk alongside China’s automotive industry, moving from “Made in China” to “China Standards,” and growing from a “parts supplier” to an “enabler of global mobility.”
Post time: Aug-26-2025
