How American cars are really sold in China (2024)

How American cars are really sold in China (1)

Kudlow on what a trade war looks like: 'I don't know. You tell me.'

Chinese President Xi Jinping's pledge to lower tariffs on US cars sounds like great news for American workers and companies.

In some respects, it is.

US auto exports to China have already been surging, despite the current 25% tariff. In 2017, the United States sent $10.5 billion of cars — new and used — to China, up from $1.1 billion in 2008, according to the US Census Bureau. Last year's exports were up from $8.8 billion in 2016.

With a lower tariff, car companies in the United States would presumably be able to export more cars to China, the world's biggest consumer market. That would benefit American workers.

But a few realities make Xi's promise a little less exciting.

President Donald Trump often mentions that the United States has only a 2.5% tariff on Chinese cars imports. His argument is that the playing field isn't level. On a tariff basis, that's true. In reality, the tariffs haven't stopped automakers in the United States from shipping cars to China.

The United States imported $1.6 billion in new and used cars made in China last year, roughly six times less than US auto industry exports to China, according to the Census Bureau.

Most of the cars sold in China by iconic US automakers are made in China

America's most iconic automakers, such as Ford and General Motors, already make cars in China for Chinese customers in joint-venture factories. That means Ford and GM partner with Chinese firms to make and sell cars.

China is GM's biggest market and has been for six years straight, according to the company. Both Ford and GM manufacture the majority of their cars sold to Chinese customers in China. The 25% tariff doesn't apply to cars made in China.

From January to October last year, Ford sold 939,000 cars in China, but only 2% of those were imported, according to the company's most recent report on China.

GM and Ford do export certain models from the United States to China, such as the Ford F150 Raptor. But those models make up a small share of overall sales in China.

The bottom line: It's more cost effective to make cars in a region where they will be sold. That's one reason why Ford and GM build cars in China, rather than ship them from America. By the way, Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda follow the same principle: They make most of the cars they sell to US customers in North America.

German automakers with US factories actually stand to gain the most

The US factories for BMW and Mercedes could be the big winners if the tariff is pulled. But they too make cars in China.

BMW is the largest auto exporter in the United States by value with its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, according to the automaker. It's unclear how many cars made in Spartanburg go to China. BMW didn't respond to a request for that information.

Mercedes has a plant in Vance, Alabama. A Mercedes spokesperson said the majority of the SUVs it produces in Alabama are exported around the world, but declined to provide China-specific data.

As major auto exporters with US operations, BMW and Mercedes would benefit more from China lowering its tariff than the iconic American automakers. But even the German car companies make the majority of their cars sold to Chinese customers in China.

Mercedes sold 170,000 cars in China between January and March, and more than two-thirds of which were cars made in China, according to a press release last week.

BMW sold 517,000 cars in China in 2016. Its plant in Shenyang, China, produced 305,000 autos that same year, according to the company's most recent annual report. It can't be assumed that BMW's cars made in America fill in the gap between those two figures. The company also exports certain models from Germany to China.

It's still unclear how much would be accomplished by removing the tariff. BMW and Mercedes sell to wealthy clientele who can generally stomach the higher price tag a 25% tariff can cause.

China often says it will cooperate on trade. And then doesn't

Chinese officials said last fall they would lower auto tariffs, but they provided no time line. Xi didn't provide any timing either on Tuesday.

Xi's appeasing comments also stand in contrast to rhetoric from China's Foreign Ministry, which on Monday said trade talks with the United States would be impossible "under current circ*mstances." Between Monday and Tuesday, neither nation changed its proposed trade tariffs.

Xi has been China's president since 2013 and this year he was effectively granted the presidency for life. So far, he has defied calls to meaningfully change China's trade behavior. It remains to be seen if his words will translate to action.

CNNMoney (New York) First published April 10, 2018: 1:48 PM ET

How American cars are really sold in China (2024)

FAQs

How many American cars are sold in China? ›

News Across the U.S.

Altogether, Chinese sales of U.S.-made vehicles totaled about 266,657, representing less than 1% of the world's largest automotive market. BMW X5: 52,407. Mercedes-Benz GLE: 40,304.

Does China use American cars? ›

China isn't buying American cars anymore — and it's bad news for everyone except Tesla. American car companies' sales in China have been on a steady decline.

How much of Ford does China own? ›

Changan Ford
TypeJoint venture
Key peopleHe Xiaoqing (President and CEO) Yang Dayong (Executive Vice President)
ProductsAutomobiles
OwnerChangan Automobile (50%) Ford Motor Company (50%)
Number of employees10,000+
8 more rows

What car sold in America is made in China? ›

Some brands already have a long-established history of exporting from China. GM, for instance, has been shipping Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac products from China to the US market for years. And Volvo uses it Chengdu and Daqing plants as export bases for global markets.

Does GM sell cars in China? ›

General Motors Co. is a global company that is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. In China, GM and its joint ventures sell passenger cars and commercial vehicles under the Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, Wuling and Baojun brands.

Does GM sell more cars in China? ›

China was the largest single target market for General Motors in 2022.

Why is GM struggling in China? ›

But it's not just related to the pandemic. Equity income from GM's Chinese operations and joint ventures has fallen 67% since its peak of more than $2 billion in 2014 and 2015. That includes a decline of about 45% from then to 2019 — prior to the coronavirus crippling China's economy and vehicle production.

What country does the US export the most cars to? ›

In 2021, United States exported $55.4B in Cars. The main destinations of United States exports on Cars were Canada ($13.8B), China ($6.89B), Germany ($6.64B), South Korea ($3.26B), and Mexico ($2.75B).

What cars does GM sell in China? ›

General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands.

What U.S. businesses are owned by China? ›

American Companies You Didn't Know Were Owned By Chinese Investors
  • AMC. Popular cinema company AMC, short for American Multi-Cinema, has been around for over a century and is headquartered in Leawood, KS. ...
  • General Motors. ...
  • Spotify. ...
  • Snapchat. ...
  • Hilton Hotels. ...
  • General Electric Appliance Division. ...
  • 49 Comments.
Jan 12, 2021

Why Ford is falling behind in China? ›

Ford's China Sales Have Been Falling Since 2016

Ford said earlier this year it would eliminate 3,800 jobs across Europe due to rising costs amid the transition to EVs. The company, which has about 173,000 employees globally, has said it will invest $50 billion in EV production by 2026.

Is there any car completely made in America? ›

These days, there's virtually no car that's “made in the U.S.A.” --all cars are an amalgamation of parts and labor and assembly from places all around the world, so “American made” is more of a less-so or more-so kind of thing. Figuring out how much of a car is American-made isn't easy.

Why are Chinese cars so cheap? ›

Chinese EV makers can produce vehicles for less because they have lower research and development costs, lower levels of capital spending and lower labour costs than rivals in Europe, Mr Koller said.

What car brand is most made in America? ›

2021 Auto Index
Rank%Content US/CanadaManufacturers
177%Ford Motor Company
272%General Motors LLC
365%Tesla
365%Tesla
20 more rows

Is the Chevy Bolt sold in China? ›

US drivers see the Bolt EUV as a larger, better-equipped version of Chevy's first modern electric car. But the EUV first went into production last year in China—as a Buick.

Are Chevys built in China? ›

The Chinese automaker SAIC motor and GM have a 50-50 stake in several Chinese factories, producing Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac vehicles, along with other GM brands.

Does China have car dealerships? ›

Biggest companies in the Car Dealer industry in China

IBIS World covers 5 companies in the Car Dealers in China industry, including Zhongsheng Group, China Grand Automobile Service Co., Ltd., Lei Shing Hong Group, China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings Limited and Hengxin Automobile Group Co., Ltd.

Which brand sells most cars in China? ›

BYD Co. is China's best-selling car brand for the first time, dethroning Volkswagen AG as it continues its meteoric rise.

Who sold most cars in China? ›

BYD beats Volkswagen as China's best-selling car brand | HT Auto.

Who is the biggest car manufacturer in China? ›

SAIC Motor Corp Ltd, China FAW Group Co Ltd, BAIC Motor Corporation Ltd, BYD Co Ltd, and Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd are the largest 5 automotive OEMs in China in 2021 by revenue.

How much does the US government own of GM? ›

U.S. taxpayers no longer own any of automaker General Motors. The Treasury sold the last of its remaining 31.1 million GM shares today. It started with 500 million shares in 2010.

Who actually owns General Motors? ›

In the past, the U.S. government was a majority shareholder in the company (after the 2008 bailouts). However, in 2010 GM broke free from the government's yoke and was reborn in its current incarnation. Today, the top three individual GM shareholders are Mary Barra, Mark Reuss and Dan Ammann.

Who owns the largest share of GM? ›

Top 10 Owners of General Motors Co
StockholderStakeShares owned
The Vanguard Group, Inc.7.50%104,319,021
BlackRock Fund Advisors4.70%65,317,863
SSgA Funds Management, Inc.4.10%56,981,032
Capital Research & Management Co....3.80%52,835,035
6 more rows

Is Ford leaving China? ›

A person familiar with the matter told Yahoo Finance that Ford has no plans to exit China. The automaker will remain focused on its luxury brand Lincoln, which has long been "popular" in the country, the source said. It will also put more attention on delivery vans in China, the person said.

Why are US companies moving out of China? ›

Manufacturers move away from China in light of supply issues, cost increases - FreightWaves.

Why doesn t China sell cars in the US? ›

Why is there no Chinese car available in the USA automobile market? No Chinese company has submitted a vehicle to the US government which is approved for sale in the US. There are a number of requirements including emission and safety which must be met before a vehicle can be sold in the US.

Why does the US import so many cars? ›

Americans love and need their motor vehicles. Since the initial mass production of the automobile, the United States auto industry has grown to be a vital part of the economy. Because of this, cars have become one of the most imported items into the United States.

Who is the US's largest export country? ›

The United States is the 2nd largest goods exporter in the world, behind only China. U.S. goods exports to the world totaled $2.1 trillion in 2022, up 17.5 percent ($307.3 billion) from 2021. Canada was the largest purchaser of U.S. goods exports in 2022, accounting for 17.3 percent of total U.S. goods exports.

What is America's number one export? ›

Searchable List of America's Most Valuable Export Products
RankUS Export Product2022 Value (US$)
1Processed petroleum oils$135,405,081,000
2Crude oil$117,034,462,000
3Petroleum gases$96,272,765,000
4Cars$57,850,861,000
6 more rows
Apr 25, 2023

What Chevy cars are made in China? ›

Chinese-built GM vehicles that tap the GEM platform include the Chevy Onix, Tracker, Sail and Cavalier, as well as certain China-only models like the Buick Excelle.

Is Tesla making cars in China? ›

That changed after Gigafactory Shanghai quickly surged to become Tesla's most productive plant and the world's largest electric vehicle factory.

Does GM have plants in China? ›

GM's facilities in Shanghai produce Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles.

How many US factories are in China? ›

It is estimated that there are over 50,000 US companies that have operations in China.

How much real estate does China own in the US? ›

Chinese firms and investors own just over 383,934 acres in the U.S., less than the state of Rhode Island, and far less than how much Canada, Netherlands, Italy, the U.K. and Germany, in that order, each own.

What is the most profitable US business in China? ›

Casinos and chipmakers are among the U.S companies with the highest revenue exposure in China. China, a country of more than 1.4 billion people, saw its population drop for the first time in six decades in 2022, according to official data published today (Jan.

Why is Ford not sold in Japan? ›

For the next ten years, American vehicles dominated the Japanese car market. However, economic and political factors led Ford and other American manufacturers to virtually withdraw from the Japanese market in 1939. In 1941, the brand was outlawed after war was declared between the two countries.

Does China own any of Ford? ›

Ford is not owned by any other company or by any one individual. It is a publicly-traded company that is owned by shareholders.

Why is Ford not selling cars anymore? ›

Ford announced in 2020 that it wanted to focus its budget on the more popular SUVs that were new in the market, such as the Explorer and the rough and tough Bronco. The brand stopped production of all its sedans, which deprived people of the other two flagship models, the Ford Fiesta and the Ford Focus.

Why doesn t america make cars anymore? ›

Competition from Foreign Imports

The fact of the matter is that these companies have an unassailable cost advantage when it comes to manufacturing smaller cars. This is the reason that they have constantly been taking away market share from American manufacturers.

Is Ford or GM more American? ›

Among automakers, Tesla boasts the highest proportion of domestically produced vehicles for 2022 at 100 percent, followed by Stellantis at 72.3 percent, Ford at 70.8 percent, Honda at 69 percent, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance at 56 percent, and General Motors at 55.8 percent.

What American car is no longer made? ›

The Ford Motor Company's Mercury brand and General Motors's Hummer, Pontiac, Saturn, and Oldsmobile brands have all been discontinued.

What is the average salary in China? ›

Maximum and minimum salary range

The average salary in China ranges from 7,410 Yuan per month (USD 1,066) to 131,000 Yuan (USD 18,842) per month — with 7,410 Yuan being the minimum salary and 131,100 Yuan being the maximum salary.

How much is a house in China? ›

In 2021, the average price for residential real estate in Shenzhen was over 61.6 thousand yuan per square meter. This was the highest price among all major cities in China, with the average price across the country amounting to 16,533 yuan per square meter.

What is the number 1 American car? ›

The most American car of all is the 2022 Lincoln Corsair, according to the Kogod School of Business at American University.

What is the safest car in America? ›

According to the IIHS, which is funded by the insurance industry, Toyota and Lexus rack up the most awards, followed by Honda and Acura. Mazda comes in next. Both small SUVs and midsized luxury SUVs take home the most wins, although the list includes vehicles of all types.

Is Tesla 100% American made? ›

Tesla EVs are the most made-in-America vehicles, Cars.com reports. Tesla snagged the top four spots on Cars.com's 2023 list of the top 10 most made-in-America vehicles.

How many cars are sold in China each year? ›

China Automobile: Sales data was reported at 26,863,745.000 Unit in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 26,274,820.000 Unit for 2021. China Automobile: Sales data is updated yearly, averaging 18,283,525.000 Unit from Dec 1999 to 2022, with 24 observations.

What percentage of American car parts are made in China? ›

U.S. imports from China accounted for an estimated 3.9 percent of U.S. automotive parts consumption in 2016 (most recent year available for U.S. parts production).

Does China produce more cars than the US? ›

Top 10 Car Producing Countries in the World (OICA 2021)*

The United States is the second-largest car producer in the world, although it produces less than half of what China does, manufacturing more than 1.5 million cars and 7.6 million commercial vehicles.

How many cars does Ford sell in China? ›

SHANGHAI, October 10, 2022 – Ford Motor Company sold more than 133,000 units in China in the third quarter 2022, down 11% year-over-year but reflecting a marked improvement of 12% over second quarter results as sales momentum strengthened with further lifting of pandemic-related restrictions.

What is the average price of a car sold in China? ›

At around $13,700, the average price of an exported China-made passenger vehicle was about one-third that of a German car in 2021, and about 30% less expensive than a Japanese make, according to data provided by UN Comtrade.

Does Tesla own China factory? ›

Its existing car factory on the outskirts of Shanghai, which the US firm owns outright, produced almost 711,000 cars last year, or 52% of its worldwide output — even with production being disrupted by the China's now-abandoned Covid Zero policy.

How much of GM do the Chinese own? ›

SAIC-GM
Logo since 2021
Headquarters in Jinqiao, Pudong, Shanghai
ProductsAutomobiles
BrandsBuick Cadillac Chevrolet
OwnerSAIC Motor (50%) General Motors (50%)
6 more rows

Are any cars fully manufactured in USA? ›

These days, there's virtually no car that's “made in the U.S.A.” --all cars are an amalgamation of parts and labor and assembly from places all around the world, so “American made” is more of a less-so or more-so kind of thing. Figuring out how much of a car is American-made isn't easy.

What American car has the most American parts? ›

The Top 20
RankModelAssembly location for cars sold in the U.S.
1Tesla Model YFremont, Calif., or Austin, Texas
2Tesla Model 3Fremont, Calif.
3Lincoln CorsairLouisville, Ky.
4Honda PassportLincoln, Ala.
16 more rows
Jun 21, 2022

Does Honda use Chinese parts? ›

That's bad news for several Japanese automakers that have stepped up their reliance on Chinese production. Last year, roughly 40 percent of Honda's automotive production (which includes part sourcing) came through China.

Are Chinese cars good quality? ›

In summary, vehicles coming out of China today are superior to vehicles of the past and are competitive in terms of build, fit and quality, with vehicles from other Asian manufacturers. So, if you're in the market for a new vehicle, do your due diligence but don't automatically rule out Chinese-made options.

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