China’s New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Industry Powers Past 10 Million Milestone in Early 2025
China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) sector continues its rapid ascent, achieving a record-breaking milestone in the first four months of 2025. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), both automobile production and sales in China surpassed 10 million units between January and April—a first in the nation’s automotive history.
This growth has been driven in large part by the soaring demand for NEVs, as Chinese automakers ramp up innovation and international outreach. In April 2025 alone, China exported 189,000 new energy passenger vehicles, representing a 44.2% increase year-on-year and a 31.6% rise from the previous month. These exports made up 44.6% of all passenger vehicle exports—up 14 percentage points from April 2024—underscoring China’s dominance in the global EV space.
Automakers like GAC Group are responding to this boom with heavy investments in R&D, particularly in design innovation aimed at younger consumers. Chen Ping-chun, an exterior designer at GAC, likens automotive designers to “magicians” in the EV value chain—transforming bold visual concepts into road-ready vehicles that meet strict industry standards.
One of Chen’s recent creations includes the first self-owned Chinese NEV brand to feature gull-wing doors—a striking design choice that has earned considerable praise for its futuristic lines and youthful appeal.
Born in Taiwan and now based in Guangdong, Chen notes that new energy vehicles have become ubiquitous on mainland Chinese roads. He adds that in areas such as autonomous driving, companies like GAC are not just catching up—they’re leading globally.
With skyrocketing exports, constant product innovation, and increasing brand recognition worldwide, China’s NEV industry is not only rewriting the future of mobility but also reshaping the global automotive landscape in real time. What will this mean for the rest of the world?
Well it means that the status quo in the automotive industry has been permanently altered. The previous kings of the car world banked on dominance in China and when the trade war began, the rules were changed and their strategy backfired. Now we have yet another a rising automotive power in the east and unlike with Japan and South Korea, China will not ‘self-regulate’ when the West asks it to.
