China exports more than 1 million cars in September, over half of them electrified

China exported 1.053 million vehicles in September 2026, up 4.2% from August and 61.4% from September 2025, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), cited by People’s Daily on October 13. New energy vehicles (EVs and plug-in hybrids) reached 571,000 units and rose 160% (2.6 times the year-earlier level), and accounted for over half of exports for the fourth consecutive month.

From January to September, exports reached 8.205 million vehicles (+65.8%). In total (domestic plus exports), NEV production and sales totalled 12.483 million and 12.472 million units (+11% and +11.1%), and NEVs’ share of new car sales was 53.6% for the year and a record 61.6% in September.

CSP take: with new energy vehicle sales growing 11% and vehicle exports 66%, Chinese industry increasingly depends on selling abroad. In Brazil, that means more models, more price pressure and more Chinese automakers weighing local production to avoid tariffs. This reading is ours, not CAAM’s.