Car Exports by Country 2025

In terms of car exports by total value, Germany led the world in 2023 with exports worth $177.2 billion, followed by Japan at $110.9 billion and China at $77.7 billion. However, in terms of volume, China became the world’s largest vehicle exporter, shipping a record 4.91 million vehicles—a surge driven largely by its expanding electric-vehicle (EV) and new-energy vehicle (NEV) sector.

Chinese production and exports of NEVs grew by more than 70% year over year, led by BYD, SAIC Motor, and Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory. Japan followed with 4.42 million units exported, while Germany maintained the global lead in export value, owing to the higher average price of its premium vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi.

Most countries export far more smaller passenger vehicles (with fewer than ten seats) than larger ones such as buses or vans. The top five exporters of passenger cars by value in 2023 were Germany, Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Mexico, together accounting for the majority of global motor car exports.

The five leading exporters of large passenger vehicles (with capacity for more than ten passengers) are China, Japan, the United States, Turkey, and Poland. China has dominance in bus manufacturing, and Turkey and Poland also have strong export industries. However, the rankings shift significantly when special-purpose motor vehicles, tractors, and automotive parts are included, with countries such as Germany, the United States, and Italy taking the lead in those categories.