Chinese carmakers increasingly rely on overseas markets as September exports surge

HONG KONG -- HONG KONG (AP) — China's passenger car exports surged 64% in September from the same month in 2025, an industry association reported Monday, as Chinese automakers increasingly focus on exports to drive growth at a time of sluggish domestic sales.China exported around 919,000 passenger vehicles in September, lifted by overseas demand for plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed. In the first nine months of 2026, China exported more than passenger cars, up more than 70% compared with the same period last year.Meanwhile, domestic passenger car sales in China have fallen for most of the year as they face weaker consumer confidence at home and scaled back government subsidies. They declined 27% in September year-on-year to over 1.6 million units, according to the association.In recent months, Chinese automakers have more aggressively targeted rapid growth in overseas markets such as Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. Canada is also opening its doors to Chinese EV exports under a tariff cut deal with China. The industry is increasingly relying on overseas markets for sales and profit growth ...