China's Auto Exports to Europe Surpass 1 Million for First Time, Share Rises to 7%, South Korean and Japanese Brands Stagnate

IT Home, April 7 — The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) released its "2025 Economic and Market Report" on April 6 local time.

The report shows that Chinese cars' share in the EU market has risen from 5% in 2022 to 7%. During the same period, the number of cars imported by the EU from China increased by 30.7%, reaching 1,006,188 vehicles, breaking the million-vehicle barrier for the first time in history.

In terms of import value, China also recorded 13.724 billion euros (ITheima Note: currently equivalent to about 109.085 billion yuan), further consolidating its position as the EU's largest source of automobile imports.

While the share of Chinese-made cars is rapidly increasing, the market shares of South Korean and Japanese cars in Europe have stagnated. Last year, the market share of South Korean cars in Europe was 3%, and that of Japanese cars was 4%, both remaining unchanged from the previous year, showing weak growth.

Chinese automakers’ offensive intensified further in 2026, while Japanese and Korean brands saw growth decline. As of February this year, Hyundai Motor and Kia’s cumulative sales totaled only 143,457 units, down 8.4% year-on-year, primarily due to weakened sales of key models including the IONIQ 5, Kona EV, EV3, and EV6. In the same period, Chinese automaker BYD sold 36,069 units in Europe, representing a remarkable year-on-year increase of 162.7%.

Moreover, the European electric vehicle market is experiencing rapid growth, centered on compact and low-cost models. As of February this year, cumulative EV sales in Europe reached 379,604 units, representing a 14.8% year-on-year increase. Against this backdrop, domestic automakers such as Volkswagen and Renault are accelerating the expansion of their compact vehicle lineups. Volkswagen plans to launch its compact electric SUV in Europe in the second half of this year.ID.Cross"and small electric hatchback"ID.Polo”。