The century-old pattern dominated by "established giants" in the global auto export market was completely shattered in 2023. When China's annual auto exports firmly surpassed the 8 million unit mark, the global export champion throne that Japan had held for more than 20 years officially witnessed a historic handover. This was not an unexpected "upset," but the inevitable result of China's auto industry's years of in-depth cultivation and accumulated efforts on both fuel-powered and electric vehicle tracks. It is even a clear signal of the power shift in the global auto industry — a new era of China-led auto exports has already begun.

Many people mistakenly believe that China's auto exports rely solely on "electric vehicles," but the truth is quite the opposite: "simultaneous development of fuel and electric vehicles" is the core strength. While fuel-powered cars still account for over 90% of the overseas market, China's fuel-powered vehicles, this "veteran player," have not fallen behind. Instead, they have followed in the footsteps of South Korean automakers' success. In the affordable market segment, Chinese fuel-powered cars have successfully opened doors to global markets with the combined advantage of "reliable quality + affordable prices." In the high-end sector, although brands like Great Wall Tank, Chery Exeed, and Geely-Volvo have not yet shaken the dominance of Germany's BBA (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi), they have firmly established themselves in the mid-tier luxury market and gained a solid reputation.

What is even more commendable is that the technology of China's fuel-powered vehicles has long shed the label of "backwardness," achieving a leap from "catching up" to "keeping pace" and even "leading in some areas." Chery's engines are exported to Japan's Mitsubishi in a reverse flow, and Great Wall has independently developed a domestic V8 engine and 9AT transmission. These breakthroughs prove that Chinese fuel-powered cars can not only excel in the cost-performance race but also compete fiercely in core technology fields. Among the 8 million export units, fuel-powered cars contribute half of the total volume. It is precisely this hard power of "overtaking on the straight track" that allows China's auto industry to maintain the huge foundation of fuel-powered cars while advancing the transition to electrification.

If fuel-powered cars are the "ballast stone" for overseas expansion, then electric vehicles are China's "trump card" in the auto industry. In the face of the prejudice that "electric vehicles have no technological content," China has responded with the most powerful evidence — it is precisely this underestimated "new technology carrier" that has built an insurmountable moat for European and American automakers. The core competitiveness of electric vehicles is far more complex than that of fuel-powered cars, and China firmly holds the initiative in key areas.

In the power battery sector, the "heart" of electric vehicles, only China, Japan, and South Korea can achieve large-scale production of high-density batteries globally, and China holds an absolute advantage: it controls about 30% of the world's lithium mines, 85% of cathode materials, 95% of anode materials, and 76% of power battery production capacity. Even Japanese and South Korean automakers rely on imports from China for raw materials. Technically, BYD took the lead in developing the Blade Battery, which expanded the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries, making them the mainstream power source for electric vehicles. CATL's Kirin Battery further enhanced the energy density and safety of ternary lithium batteries. These core patents form an impenetrable technological barrier.

An even more profound advantage lies in intelligent driving systems and software algorithms — an invisible "soft power" moat. Intelligent driving requires massive computing power and sophisticated algorithm support, backed by continuous iterations from countless software engineers. While European automakers are not short of funds, they face comprehensive shortages in mineral resources, core technologies, and professional talents. Today, top European automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have moved their intelligent driving R&D teams to China, a clear recognition of China's leading position in this field. It can be said that any country in the world that wants to develop electric vehicles cannot bypass the industrial chain and technological system built by China.

Behind this export miracle is the collective effort of Chinese automakers. Three enterprises — Chery, SAIC, and BYD — each achieved annual exports exceeding 1 million units, becoming the "first tier" of overseas expansion. Geely, Great Wall, and Changan followed closely, each delivering more than 500,000 units. These six leading automakers jointly contributed over 5 million export units, supporting half of China's auto exports. In addition, domestic automakers such as GAC, FAW, and JAC also performed impressively, with JAC's annual exports of over 200,000 units being a pleasant surprise. Joint-venture factories like Tesla Shanghai, Changan Ford, SAIC-GM, and Beijing Hyundai have also joined the overseas expansion camp, forming a pattern of "domestic + joint-venture" brands working together.

Standing at the world's top export scale, China's auto industry has a clear next step: high-end and brand-driven overseas expansion. In the past, Chinese cars opened up markets with cost performance; in the future, Chinese-style luxury will engage in head-on competition with Germany's BBA. 2026 will not only be a crucial year for the collective overseas foray of Chinese new energy vehicle startups but also the first year for Chinese-style luxury to step onto the global stage.

From the technological counterattack of fuel-powered cars to the comprehensive leadership of electric vehicles, from opening up the affordable market to breaking through the high-end sector, China's auto industry has proven its strength with 8 million export units. This counterattack is not the end, but a brand-new starting point — a global era belonging to Chinese cars is accelerating its arrival.