Europe and Asia remained the key destinations for China’s NEV exports, with Belgium, the UK and Mexico leading the market rankings. Latest data released by Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), show that China’s total automobile exports reached 8.32 million units in 2025, up 30% year on year. Exports in December alone hit 990,000 units, surging 73% from a year earlier and rising 23% month on month. China’s car export data from 2019 to 2025 This marked the strongest monthly performance of the year and helped lift the full-year base. From a monthly perspective, exports started the year on a solid footing in January. Between February and April, shipments came under pressure amid tariff-related policies introduced by the Trump administration. Exports gradually recovered from May through November, before surging sharply in December to form the annual peak. In terms of structure, passenger vehicles remained the mainstay of exports, with their share rising to 85% for the full year. Exports of trucks and buses also maintained growth momentum, posting full-year increases of 34% and 29%, respectively. New energy vehicles were the core driver of export growth. In December 2025, China exported 420,000 NEVs, representing a year-on-year surge of 174%. Export trend of China’s NEVs from 2017 to 2025 For the full year, NEV exports reached 3.43 million units, up 70% year on year, far exceeding the 16% growth recorded in 2024. In terms of timing, NEV exports softened in the second half of 2024 following the European Union’s imposition of additional tariffs. After a brief rebound in January 2025, exports weakened again in February and March, before remaining at historically high levels from April through December. The year-end surge in December set the tone for overall annual growth. The export mix is also shifting rapidly toward electrification. In December 2025, battery electric vehicles accounted for 25% of exports, plug-in hybrids 17%, and hybrids 7%, while internal combustion engine vehicles fell to 40%. Car export data across different categories from 2022 to 2025 For the full year, the combined share of BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs approached half of total exports, while the share of ICE vehicles declined by 11 percentage points year on year. By destination, NEV exports were mainly concentrated in Europe and Asia. Europe continued to serve as both a high-end and large-scale market, while Asia absorbed more price-sensitive demand. In 2025, China’s top five export markets for new energy vehicles were Belgium with 284,921 units, the United Kingdom with 231,181 units, Mexico with 221,027 units, Brazil with 200,825 units, and the Philippines with 200,544 units.