China overtakes Japan as world's top car exporter

China said it has become the world's biggest exporter of cars after surpassing Japan in the first three months of the year, backed by demand for electric vehicles and increased exports to Russia.

Last year,

China exported 1.07 million vehicles in the three-month period, up 58% year-on-year (YoY).

At the same time Japan's vehicle exports stood at 954,185, after growing 6% from a year earlier.

China exported 3.2 million vehicles in 2022, compared to Germany's 2.6 million vehicle exports.

The shift away from fossil fuels has helped fuel the rise of China's motor industry.

First quarter exports of new energy vehicles (NEVs), which includes electric cars, rose by more than 90%, compared to a year earlier.