Car production in China 2013-2023, by type

In 2023, approximately 26 million passenger cars and four million commercial vehicles had been produced in China.

Automobile production and sales

With a production volume of over 26 million passenger cars, China ranked first among countries with the largest production of passenger cars. It was followed by Japan, India, Germany, and South Korea - countries that are home to valuable car brands worldwide. On average, every third passenger vehicle produced in the world was produced in China.
China’s soaring vehicle production was rising to meet demand for years. Passenger vehicle sales surged from around seven million in 2008 to over 26 million units in 2023. 

Vehicle manufacturers

However, even though the production and sale of vehicles in China have increased rapidly, China has not claimed an increased market share of its car brands and is merely keeping pace with international competition. The market share of domestically designed passenger vehicles has remained the same in the last decade. Furthermore, almost all the leading bestselling cars in China are the product of joint ventures with foreign manufacturers. This is because Chinese law requires foreign carmakers to form joint ventures with Chinese brands. For example, General Motors has an ongoing cooperation with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, and South Korean carmaker Hyundai has established a joint venture with the Beijing Automotive Group. Such regulations were supposed to be relaxed gradually.