China surpasses Japan as world's top auto exporter
Tesla EVs and Russian deliveries drive industry into lead
A SAIC Motor plant in Nanjing, China. SAIC was China's second-leading exporter of new energy vehicles in the first quarter after Tesla. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
SHUNSUKE TABETA, Nikkei staff writerMay 19, 2023 00:52 JST
CHONGQING, China -- China overtook Japan as the world's top auto exporter in the first quarter, spurred by rising demand for electric vehicles and increased deliveries to Russia.
China's automobile exports for the January-March period jumped 58% from a year earlier to 1.07 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Japan exported 950,000 vehicles during the same quarter, up 6% on the year, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Chinese auto exports continue to grow in the current quarter. An industry group for passenger vehicles expects exports to climb 30% for the full calendar year to 4 million units.
In 2009, China surpassed the U.S. to become the world's largest market for new vehicles. The Chinese government helped the domestic EV industry grow by offering purchasing and tax incentives, as well as by developing charging infrastructure to bring electric vehicles into the mainstream.
The shift to electrics has fueled China's rise as an auto exporting power. First quarter exports of new energy vehicles, which include EVs, soared 93% on the year to 380,000 units. New energy vehicles accounted for roughly 40% of China's overall auto exports.
By company, Tesla's China arm was the top exporter of new energy vehicles at 90,000 units, according to Chinese media. Runners-up were SAIC Motor's passenger vehicle unit at 50,000 units, and BYD at 30,000 vehicles.
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Belgium, Australia and Thailand were the top destinations of Chinese-made new energy vehicles. Thailand's third-place position shows that Chinese automakers are using EVs to build market share in Southeast Asia, a region where Japanese automakers have long dominated.
For all Chinese-made vehicles, Russia was the top export destination in the first quarter. Exports there more than tripled from a year earlier to 140,000 units.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Toyota Motor, Volkswagen and other global automakers shut down Russian factories and pulled out of the market. Chinese automakers filled that vacuum.
Chery Automobile and Great Wall Motor in particular have expanded sales in Russia. Both companies are funded by entities linked to Chinese municipal governments.
China exported nearly 30,000 trucks -- which could be used for military purposes -- to Russia in the first quarter, almost seven times the volume from a year earlier. After Russia, the leading export destinations in order are Mexico, Belgium and Saudi Arabia.
Tesla has positioned the Shanghai Gigafactory as an export hub for vehicles bound for Europe and Japan, among other markets. Tesla's first quarter exports from China grew 20% from a year earlier.
When Shanghai's Gigafactory began operations in 2019, the facility had the capacity to make 250,000 vehicles annually. Now the factory is able to produce 1.25 million units a year, and has applied for permits to increase capacity to 1.75 million units.
Last year, exports from the Gigafactory stood at 270,000 vehicles, accounting for nearly 40% of the total. The ratio is up from almost 30% in 2021.
Last month, the Gigafactory started producing Model Y sport utility vehicles for export to Canada.
