Chinese automakers' overseas sales surge cushions weak domestic market

Buoyant overseas sales could also cushion against a weak domestic market, which slumped 20 per cent in the first eight months of the year

Daniel Renin Shanghai

Published: 2:00pm, 1 Oct 2026

Chinese automotive groups have cause to celebrate their go-global strategy amid breakneck export growth in recent years, with deliveries in 2026 expected to beat expectations already buoyed by an international energy shock caused by conflict in the Middle East.

Leading carmakers from BYD to Chery Automobile have doubled down on overseas expansion, with some evolving into powerful contenders in markets such as Europe and Africa, which were once dominated by the likes of Volkswagen.

“A sluggish domestic market has been fuelling carmakers’ efforts to spur exports,” said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). “The export boom from January to August exceeded our expectations and we saw a hefty sales jump in the European Union and Africa.”

The government-backed industry body recently forecast that overseas Chinese vehicle sales – which comprise passenger cars, buses and lorries – could top 12 million units in 2026, up 44 per cent from last year’s 8.3 million.