China dominates global vehicle production as Spain's manufacturing share declines

Global automotive production has seen a massive shift in dominance over the last 25 years. In 2000, the world produced 58.4 million vehicles, a figure that rose to 96.3 million by 2025. China has moved from the eighth position in the global rankings with 2 million vehicles to becoming the world leader, producing 34.5 million vehicles in 2025—approximately one-third of total global production.

In contrast, Spain's position in the manufacturing sector has declined. While Spain ranked sixth in 2000 with 3 million vehicles produced, it fell to ninth place by 2025, being surpassed by South Korea, Mexico, and Brazil. Current production in Spain stands at 2.2 million vehicles, representing a 25% decrease compared to the start of the century.

Other major producers include the United States, which produced 10.2 million vehicles in 2025, Japan with 8.4 million, India with 6.4 million, and Germany with 4.1 million. Despite the decline in manufacturing, vehicle registrations in Spain are projected to approach 1.25 million units in 2026, the best performance since 2019.