New energy and commercial vehicles lead the new wave of structural growth

China's auto exports from January to April 2025: New energy and commercial vehicles lead the new wave of structural growth

Against the backdrop of profound adjustments in the global trade pattern and intensified geopolitical economic games, China's auto export market is undergoing a profound structural transformation.

According to the latest data disclosed by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's total auto exports reached 1.937 million units from January to April 2025, breaking through the trend with a year-on-year growth rate of 6%. Among them, the strong performance of new energy vehicles and commercial vehicles formed the dual engines of growth, reshaping the traditional landscape of global auto trade.

New energy vehicles: Plug-in hybrid models have become the "pioneers" of growth, and the market territory continues to expand the continuous sluggishness of traditional fuel vehicle exports contrasts sharply with the explosive growth of new energy vehicles, which has become the most prominent feature of the current export market.Data shows that from January to April, the cumulative export volume of traditional fuel vehicles reached 1.295 million units, a year-on-year decline of 7.9%. In April alone, the export volume was 317,000 units, with the year-on-year decline further expanding to 18.7%. The market share of traditional fuel vehicles has been continuously squeezed by new energy models.

In contrast, new energy vehicles have demonstrated astonishing growth resilience. The monthly export volume in April reached 200,000 units, surging by 76% year-on-year. From January to April, a total of 642,000 vehicles were exported, with a year-on-year growth rate as high as 52.6%, contributing the core driving force for the overall export growth.In the niche market, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) emerged as the biggest highlight: 60,000 units were exported in April, representing a month-on-month increase of 8.3% and a year-on-year surge of 1.4 times. From January to April, a total of 212,000 vehicles were exported, with a year-on-year increase of 1.5 times. The growth rate far exceeded that of pure electric models (during the same period, 430,000 pure electric vehicles were exported, with a year-on-year increase of 27.5%).This differentiated growth not only reflects the increasing acceptance of new energy vehicle models in the global market, but also demonstrates the success of Chinese automakers in diversifying their technological routes.

Future outlook: The dual-wheel drive pattern will be consolidated, with challenges and opportunities coexisting

Overall, from January to April 2025, China's auto export market has formed a new pattern of "dual-wheel drive of new energy and commercial vehicles", and the export structure is accelerating its transformation from being dominated by traditional fuel vehicles to new energy and high-end commercial vehicles. With the in-depth advancement of the global carbon neutrality process and the continuous investment of Chinese automakers in new energy technologies and intelligent configurations, the growth trend of exports is expected to continue.

However, it should be noted that factors such as the intensification of global trade barriers, the risk of supply chain restructuring, and the reduction of new energy subsidies in some countries may still impose constraints on export growth. In the future, China's automotive industry needs to continuously exert efforts in technological innovation, local production, brand building and other aspects in order to consolidate and expand its leading position in the fierce global competition.