20 American-made cars that could benefit from China's promise to roll back tariffs (2024)

Nathan Bomey|USA TODAY

Cars made in the U.S. and shipped to China could be poised to reap hugebenefits if China follows through on President Xi Jinping's promiseto roll back tariffs on imported vehicles.

Xisignaled Tuesday that the country could lower trade barriers to imported vehicles and bolster intellectual property rights.

If he follows through, the move could crack the door wider for a range of vehicles built in U.S. factories, ranging from BMW'sSouth Carolina-made X5 SUV to Detroit stalwarts like Chevrolet and its sportyCamaro.

Automakersshipped at least 1,000 units of each of nearly 20 models from American plants in 2017, according to research firm LMC Automotive.

If tariffs are reduced, cars exported fromthe U.S. likely would be cheaper for Chinese consumers than they are now, potentially bolstering sales and helping American manufacturing.

Xi's comments follow a back-and-forth escalation of tariff threats with President Trump, who has bashed Chinese trade policy as unfair.

German automakers BMW Group and Daimler Group, maker of Mercedes-Benz, are the most prolific exporters of American-made vehicles to Chinese dealerships. BMW shipped 106,971 vehicles from U.S. factories to China last year, while Mercedes sent 72,198, according to LMC.

Ford Motor was the third-largest U.S.-to-China exporter with a total of 45,145 vehicles. Fiat Chrysler was fourth at 16,545 and Tesla was fifth at 14,779.

Altogether, Chinese sales of U.S.-made vehicles totaled about 266,657, representing less than 1% of the world's largest automotive market.

Here were the top 20 most exported models from U.S. plants to China in 2017:

  1. BMW X5: 52,407
  2. Mercedes-Benz GLE: 40,304
  3. BMW X3: 34,609
  4. Lincoln MKC: 17,753
  5. Mercedes-Benz GLS: 17,420
  6. Mercedes-Benz R-Class: 13,402
  7. Ford Explorer: 12,906
  8. BMW X4: 10,928
  9. BMW X6: 9,027
  10. Tesla Model X: 8,848
  11. Jeep Grand Cherokee: 8,832
  12. Toyota Sienna: 7,460
  13. Ford Mustang: 7,137
  14. Tesla Model S: 5,931
  15. Jeep Wrangler: 5,302
  16. Lincoln Continental: 4,927
  17. Lincoln Navigator: 1,764
  18. Jeep Cherokee: 1,697
  19. Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: 1,061
  20. Chevrolet Camaro: 977

Source: LMC Automotive

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.

20 American-made cars that could benefit from China's promise to roll back tariffs (2024)

FAQs

What American cars are imported from China? ›

  • There are currently no Chinese-branded passenger vehicles for sale in the United States.
  • Just five cars sold in the U.S. are made in China: the Lincoln Nautilus, Buick Envision, Volvo S90, Polestar 1 and Polestar 2.
  • Chinese-made EVs account for 8.3% of the EV market in Europe.
Mar 18, 2024

What is the US tariff on Chinese cars? ›

For now, the existing 27.5-percent tariff on Chinese-made vehicles, including 25 percent imposed by the Trump administration, has largely kept them at bay.

How do tariffs affect the US auto industry? ›

The direct impacts on new automobile dealers range from 29,000 lost jobs under a 10 percent tariff which exempts Canada and Mexico, to almost 118,000 job losses when a 25 percent tariff is applied to all imports. These impacts correspond to revenue losses which range from $16.3 billion to $66.5 billion.

Does the US sell cars to China? ›

Vehicle export volume from the United States to China 2006-2021. In 2021, the United States exported a total of 155,337 new passenger vehicles and light trucks to China.

What cars Cannot be imported to USA? ›

Importing a conforming vs.

If the vehicle is less than 25 years old and was not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable FMVSS, and/or was not so certified by its original manufacturer, it cannot be lawfully imported into the U.S. on a permanent basis unless NHTSA determines it eligible for importation.

What car company is owned by China? ›

It owns the brands of JAC, JAC EV, Sehol. Chery (Chery Automobile, Chinese: 奇瑞汽车股份有限公司), a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer based in Anhui and controlled by the Municipal Government of Wuhu City. It sells cars under the Chery, Exeed, Jetour and iCar brand.

Why doesn t the U.S. sell Chinese cars? ›

But tariffs are just the first hurdle for a global car company looking to crack the US market. Most Chinese cars haven't been engineered with US safety regulations in mind; just going through those protocols is an expensive and elaborate process.

How much is tariff tax from China to USA? ›

Import Tariff China

If your shipment's gross weight or volumetric weight is less than 10 kilograms per cubic meters, you will be charged 5 percent customs duty on the CIF value plus transport and insurance costs.

Is there a tariff on tires from China? ›

Since Feb. 15, 2019, medium truck and bus tires from China have been subject to both anti-dumping and countervailing duties as they reach the U.S. The anti-dumping rates (set at 9% for 256 specifically named tiremakers and 22.57% for all others) remain unchanged.

How do tariffs benefit American manufacturers? ›

For example, if a tariff is imposed on a good imported into the United States, a domestic producer of the same good may decide that they can increase prices to maximize revenue while remaining competitive in the market.

Which country has highest import duty on cars? ›

Download Table Data
CountryDuty RateSales Tax
India125%0%
Thailand80%7%
Vietnam70%10%
Pakistan60%17%
86 more rows

Does the US import or export more cars? ›

Imports In 2022, United States imported $159B in Cars, becoming the 1st largest importer of Cars in the world.

Is Volvo owned by China? ›

The Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is based in Hangzhou, which is located in south-east China's Zhejiang Province. The company launched their automotive business in 1997 and eventually took over ownership of the Swedish-made Volvo brand in 2010.

Are Chevys made in China? ›

Indeed, Chevy vehicles are produced in China; however, these models exclusively cater to the Chinese market. The joint venture between the Chinese automaker SAIC Motor and GM holds a 50-50 stake in several Chinese factories, manufacturing Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and various other GM brand vehicles.

Which GM vehicles are made in China? ›

SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited (more commonly known as SAIC-GM; Chinese: 上汽通用汽车; formerly known as "Shanghai General Motors Company Ltd", "Shanghai GM"; Chinese: 上海通用汽车) is a joint venture between General Motors Company and SAIC Motor that manufactures and sells Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac brand automobiles ...

Does China own Volvo? ›

The Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is based in Hangzhou, which is located in south-east China's Zhejiang Province. The company launched their automotive business in 1997 and eventually took over ownership of the Swedish-made Volvo brand in 2010.

Where does the US import most of its cars from? ›

Imports In 2022, United States imported $159B in Cars, becoming the 1st largest importer of Cars in the world. At the same year, Cars was the 2nd most imported product in United States. United States imports Cars primarily from: Mexico ($34.1B), Japan ($32.9B), Canada ($27B), South Korea ($22.5B), and Germany ($17B).

What cars are most imported in China? ›

The Lexus ES is the best-selling import in China for the 7th year in a row. Discover 40 years worth of Chinese Historical Data here. Sales of new imported light vehicles in China drastically slow down their fall in 2023, from -19% in 2022 to just -2.3% this year at 739,545 units.

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