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2026-07-26 02:22 UTC → 2026-07-26 16:27 UTC ·
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Following the early‑July reports of a booming export market and a shrinking domestic sales base, further data released at the end of July confirmed and deepened the trend. In the The first half of 2026 saw Chinese automobile imports fell contract 11 % year‑on‑year to about 200,000 units, with retail imports down 29 % to 190,000. June 2026 imports fell to 38,000 (down 11 % YoY) and battery‑electric retail sales to 30,000, a 39 % drop, reflecting both a low base from late‑2025 and shipping disruptions linked to the U.S.–Iran conflict in March‑April. New‑energy vehicle imports dropping continued to shrink, with battery‑electric models down 36 % and plug‑in hybrids 58 %; %, leaving NEVs represented only about at roughly 2 % of imported passenger cars. By contrast, total imports. Japan remained the largest source, supplying 103,493 units (up 20,095), followed by Germany (44,311), the United States (17,732) and others. Meanwhile, total exports rose sharply to 5.31 million vehicles, a 53 % increase, driven largely by electric and plug‑in hybrid models that now account for roughly about 70 % of the export growth. Russia emerged as the largest overseas destination, while Brazil led in NEV export sales. The divergent paths underscore trends illustrate a weakening domestic appetite for foreign‑made cars and an accelerating pivot toward overseas markets, especially for China’s newer‑energy vehicles, reinforcing the sector’s reorientation toward export‑led growth and electric mobility.