China's auto exports continue to grow

Since the beginning of 2013, China's auto export sales volume has experienced rapid growth. The sales of Chery and Geely rank among the top ranks among car manufacturers. Analysts pointed out that China has become one of the world's important export centers for passenger cars.

Exports continue to grow

According to data from the China Automobile Association, Chinese automakers' export sales volume in April this year was 89,400, an increase of 1.5% year-on-year and an increase of 4%. From January to April this year, the total export sales of automobiles was 316,600, an increase of 12.7% year-on-year. Among them, the number of passenger car exports was 194,200, an increase of 24% over the same period of the previous year; exports of commercial vehicles were 121,900, a decrease of 1.7% over the same period of the previous year.

Although the increase in April has slowed down compared to the previous three months, the year-on-year increase in the first four months still reached a double-digit percentage, continuing the previous growth trend.

Since the sharp drop in exports in 2009 compared to 2008, China’s auto exports have increased significantly for three consecutive years. In 2009, export sales decreased by 45.70% year-on-year to 69,600 units year-on-year, while export value decreased by 46.15% year-on-year to US$5.187 billion. In 2010, export sales increased by 53.17% to 566,200 units, and the export value increased by 34.68% year-on-year to US$6.986 billion. In 2011, export sales increased by 50.03% year-on-year to 849,500 units, and the export value increased by 56.74% year-on-year to US$10.951 billion. In 2012, export sales increased 19.48% year-on-year to 101.50 million units, and the export value increased by 25.18% year-on-year to US$13.708 billion.

The vehicles produced in China are currently mainly sold to emerging markets in developing countries. Taking 2012 as an example, the number one export market for Chinese automobiles was Algeria, which reached 149,800, followed by 90,000 in Iraq and 89,700 in Russia. The 4th to 10th places were 77,700 in Iran, 62,700 in Chile, 37,200 in Peru, 34,700 in Egypt, 32,800 in Venezuela, 31,300 in Colombia, and 30,600 in Ukraine.

According to Namrita Chow, a senior analyst at IHS Automotive, “China has become an important export center for passenger cars. Chinese car companies are entering more and more small emerging markets, and car export sales have increased overall. But in the long term, Chinese car companies are looking at exporting more vehicles to large markets."

However, China’s auto exports have recently declined slightly. Taking the first quarter of this year as an example, the growth of small-displacement passenger cars and mini-vehicles has become more apparent, while that of medium- and high-emission passenger cars and medium and heavy-duty trucks has declined rapidly, and the increase in the export value of vehicles has slowed down significantly, which is lower than the sales volume. Growth rate.

In the first quarter of this year, total vehicle exports totaled 224,300 units, an increase of 24.8% year-on-year; the amount of exports was US$2,837 million, a year-on-year increase of 7.8%. Among them, the number of cars exported was 104,700, an increase of 30.8% year-on-year; the number of trucks exported was 68,900, an increase of 7.7% year-on-year; and the number of passenger car exports was 36,600, an increase of 72.8% year-on-year. In the first quarter, the above-mentioned three major categories of automobiles exported a total of 21,200 vehicles, accounting for 93.7% of the total automobile exports.

Chery Gillies leads

According to data from IHS Automotive, car companies such as Chery, Geely, and Great Wall are boosting sales growth in emerging markets, leading to continued growth in the overall export level of passenger vehicles in China. In the first quarter of this year, export champion Chery exported a total of 33,316 cars to more than 20 countries, including Argentina, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Egypt and Kenya.

Geely delivered 24,333 vehicles to more than 15 countries, including Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Great Wall Motors exports to the 22 markets, including Algeria, Angola, Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, Kenya, Russia and Ukraine.

Geely's export sales in 2012 surged 164% year-on-year, exceeding the 100,000 mark. The company’s export target for this year was originally a conservative 160,000 units. Zhang Aiqun, vice president of Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd., said that this year's export sales will reach 200,000 units.

In addition, GM is also boosting the export sales of vehicles produced in China. In 2012, 77,000 vehicles produced by General Motors in China were sold to overseas markets outside of China, ranking third among car manufacturers. In the first quarter of this year, 25,000 of the company’s vehicles produced in China were sold overseas, up 60% year-on-year. The company expects its export sales this year to be between 100,000 and 130,000.

Namrita Chow said: "Because the large multinational car companies are less likely to compete with Chinese domestic car companies (overseas), this year, as in 2012, car manufacturers' export sales will hit new highs."