Japan or China — which is the world’s largest car exporter?

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Has China overtaken Japan to become the world’s largest car exporter? Beijing clearly thinks so, but Tokyo is not yet ready to cede the throne it has held for many years.

“It is certain that China has become the world’s largest exporter,” the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said last month.

However, the answer is not so clear-cut and depends on the dataset used.

According to Japan’s latest customs data, Japan exported 5.97 million cars in 2023. That’s more than the 5.22 million cars, buses and trucks China sold overseas last year, according to China Customs, and the figure is consistent with CPCA data.

And the picture becomes even cloudier when you consider industry association data. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association on Wednesday released figures showing the country shipped 4.42 million cars to the world in 2023, lower than the 4.91 million exports reported by the China Automobile Manufacturers Association. ing.

In both countries, customs authorities and industry bodies use different indicators. Customs data typically includes more categories of cars and car parts, so the numbers are higher than industry figures.

But one trend is clear. That means China has been closing the gap with the world’s top car exporter over the past two years. Its shipment volume exceeded that of South Korea in 2021 and that of Germany in 2022.

The momentum was driven by strong demand in Russia and growing global demand for electric vehicles (EVs).

Chinese automakers benefit This is due to the exodus of global brands from Russia and the imposition of sanctions imposed since the Russian government ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

2023 was also a banner year for Chinese EVs, which are cheaper than models made by rivals in other countries. They have also expanded into Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

According to data released by the CPCA last month, China’s passenger car exports in 2023 increased by 62% compared to 2022. More than a quarter of them were electric.

Chinese automakers are increasingly expanding overseas, especially after the domestic economy lost momentum last year.

Shenzhen-based manufacturer BYD overtook Tesla (TSLA) as the world’s top EV seller late last year, an unprecedented leap forward for a Chinese automaker.

It delivered more fully electric vehicles than Tesla for the first time in the three months ended Dec. 31, narrowing the sales lead held by Elon Musk’s company for the entire year.