China exported 1,053,000 vehicles in September 2026, up 61.4% year on year and 4.2% on August, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) data published on 12 October 2026. New energy vehicles (NEVs) made up 571,000 of those exports, about 54%, the fourth month in a row above half. For importers, the practical reading is that supply is tilting toward plug-in and electric models, while Chinese makers are pushing hard overseas because the home market is shrinking.
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How many vehicles did China export in September 2026?
China exported 1,053,000 vehicles in September 2026, according to CAAM. That is 61.4% higher than September 2025 and 4.2% higher than August 2026. Since June, monthly exports have stayed above 1 million units for four consecutive months.
| CAAM figure | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total vehicle exports | 1,053,000 | +61.4% YoY, +4.2% MoM |
| Passenger vehicle exports | 919,000 | +64.2% YoY, +3.2% MoM |
| NEV exports | 571,000 | about 2.6 times last year (+160%) |
| Jan–Sep total vehicle exports | 8,205,000 | +65.8% YoY |
| Jan–Sep passenger vehicle exports | 7,167,000 | +70.6% YoY |
| Jan–Sep NEV exports | 4,006,000 | +130% YoY |
Figures are as published by CAAM on 12 October 2026 and relayed by Chinese financial media. The totals include commercial vehicles as well as passenger vehicles.
How many of China’s September exports were electric or plug-in?
NEVs were 571,000 of the 1,053,000 vehicles exported in September 2026, about 54%. CAAM said NEV exports have now been above 50% of all vehicle exports for four straight months, and a CAAM deputy secretary-general described China’s vehicle exports as now being led by NEVs.
CnEVPost’s reading of the CAAM release splits the 571,000 into about 352,000 battery-electric (+130% YoY) and 219,000 plug-in hybrids (+220% YoY). Conventional fuel vehicles were about 482,000 (+12% YoY). The BEV/PHEV split comes from that one outlet, so treat it as indicative until CAAM’s full table is checked.
For a dealer, the faster growth of plug-in hybrids matters. PHEVs let a buyer in a market with thin charging coverage still run on fuel. See, for example, the Geely Galaxy Battleship 700 export guide and the BYD Sealion 06 DM-i vs Song Plus DM-i comparison.
Why are exports growing while China’s domestic sales fall?
Exports are growing partly because the home market is weak. CAAM reported total vehicle sales of 2,956,000 in September 2026, down 8.4% year on year. Subtracting exports leaves roughly 1.90 million domestic sales, which Sina reported as a 26% year-on-year fall. Passenger vehicle domestic sales fell 27.4% according to CnEVPost’s reading of the data.
When factories have spare capacity and home demand drops, more of that output looks for buyers abroad. This is our reading, not a CAAM statement.
What does this mean for car importers and dealers?
The September numbers give importers four practical points.
- Model range is widening. More NEV and PHEV models are being offered for export, so check the export name before you compare quotes. Our guides to Chinese model names vs export names and BYD China names vs export names help avoid ordering the wrong variant.
- Small EVs remain the volume entry point. If your buyers want city cars, compare the BYD Dolphin and Seagull and the Seagull and Wuling Bingo before choosing.
- Charging and fuel quality decide the powertrain. Match BEV, PHEV or petrol to your market. Our Ethiopia EV import guide and the best EVs for taxis in Addis Ababa show how one market made that choice.
- Shipping capacity is the other half of the equation. Higher volumes put pressure on roll-on/roll-off and container space. Read how many cars fit in a container and shipping cars from China to African ports before you commit to a delivery date.
Which markets are importing the most Chinese cars?
CAAM’s headline release does not give a destination breakdown, and the sources we found for September 2026 do not either, so we do not rank markets here. For market-by-market detail, see our guides for Nigeria, Peru, Bolivia, Iran and Russia and Central Asia. Import rules change, so confirm current rules with your customs authority before ordering.
How reliable are these export figures?
Other bodies publish different totals because they use different data sources and counting rules. ChinaEVHome, citing a different data source, put September exports higher at 1,182,000, up about 55%. Do not mix figures from different publishers in one comparison. This article uses only CAAM numbers.
Preliminary figures can also be revised in later releases. For decisions that depend on a specific number, check CAAM’s latest monthly release.
What should buyers do next?
Pick the powertrain that suits your market’s fuel and charging reality, ask for the export name and specification sheet in writing, and confirm the vehicle’s inspection status. Our vehicle inspection and condition report page explains what to ask for. If you want to visit factories and stock yards in person, the Canton Fair 2026 guide for car buyers covers what to see in Guangzhou. You can also use the compare tool, and see our services and about us pages.
FAQ
How many cars did China export in September 2026?
China exported 1,053,000 vehicles in September 2026, up 61.4% year on year and 4.2% on August, according to CAAM. Of these, 919,000 were passenger vehicles.
How many Chinese electric and plug-in cars were exported in September 2026?
NEV exports reached 571,000 in September 2026, about 54% of total exports. Cumulative NEV exports for January to September were 4,006,000, up 130% year on year.
How many vehicles has China exported in 2026 so far?
CAAM reported 8,205,000 vehicle exports for January to September 2026, up 65.8% year on year.
Are Chinese car exports slowing down?
Not in the September data. Exports rose 4.2% on August and have been above 1 million units a month since June 2026. Domestic sales, by contrast, were down year on year.
Do these export numbers include Hanvia vehicles?
The CAAM totals cover all Chinese vehicle exports and say nothing about any single exporter. Please ask us on WhatsApp for current availability for your market.
Sources: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) monthly release of 12 October 2026, as relayed by Daily Economic News (nbd.com.cn, 12 October 2026) for the 1,053,000 total, 571,000 NEV exports and the four-month 50% streak; Sina Finance (13 October 2026) for the +61.4% YoY, +4.2% MoM, and 8,205,000 Jan–Sep total (+65.8%); Sina Finance (14 October 2026) for passenger vehicle exports of 919,000 and Jan–Sep 7,167,000 (+70.6%); Cailianshe (cls.cn) for Jan–Sep NEV exports of 4,006,000 (+130%); CnEVPost (12 October 2026) for the 54% NEV share, passenger and domestic sales commentary. Single-source items: the +3.2% month-on-month passenger figure (Sina only); the four-months-above-1-million statement (Cailianshe only); the CAAM deputy secretary-general quote (Daily Economic News only); the BEV 352,000 / PHEV 219,000 / conventional 482,000 split (CnEVPost only); the 27.4% fall in domestic passenger vehicle sales (CnEVPost only); the 1,182,000 CPCA-basis figure (ChinaEVHome only, shown as a different counting basis, not a CAAM number). The roughly 1.90 million domestic figure is our calculation from CAAM’s 2,956,000 total minus exports. Data checked October 2026; figures may be revised by CAAM.