It has been fifteen years since China positioned itself as the world’s leading power in terms of car production and, since then, it has remained booming. Without going any further, the 2023 fiscal year closed in the country with a total of 30.16 million cars manufactured, 16% more than the previous year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM, for example). its acronym in English).
However, this growth comes from afar; The last thirty years have been crucial to understanding how the automotive sector has evolved globally. This is how we can see it through the animated graphic prepared by the International Organization of Automobile Manufacturers (OICA).
These data could not be more eloquent when addressing a paradigm shift that came with the new millennium. During the 20th century and, especially, after the Second World War, the United States, Japan and Germany were the main automobile manufacturers worldwide, with production that was close to 13 million in the United States during the year 2000. In At that time, the Asian giant did not reach two million.
The ZS model of the Chinese brand MG was ranked number six of the best-selling cars in Spain during the year 2023 and, in the months of August and September, it reached first position. These figures collected by the ANFAC (Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers) underline the relevance in the automotive industry of a country that, this year, has broken all its records and has even surpassed Japan as the main exporter. Now, what is the reason for the rise of the Chinese automotive market?
It was in 2009 when it finally took over Japan’s position as the largest producer. However, we are talking about growth that had already begun to be quietly promoted in the 1990s. As a starting point, rapid industrialization and economic growth favored the country’s internal demand. Likewise, the Government’s large investment in infrastructure and transportation made possible rapid development marked by innovation and cutting-edge technology.
Given this promising situation and, taking into account its capacity to adapt to the global market and new social interests, we must not forget the incentive policies for the production of electric cars, an effort to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and avoid air pollution. In this sense, BYD Auto is the most representative brand in China today, thanks to the strong momentum acquired in recent years. Manufacturer of cars, buses, trucks and electric bicycles, as well as rechargeable batteries, it managed to sell more than three million vehicles worldwide in 2023. This figure is seven times greater than the amount obtained by the same company in 2020.
The data in Spain is not so encouraging, although it is true that according to ANFAC the Seat Arona was the third best-selling car in our country during 2023, only behind the Dacia Sandero, and the Nissan Qashqai.
According to the animated graph of the OICA, Spain was in sixth position of automobile producers worldwide, with 2.2 million cars manufactured in 1993. Thirty years later and two places below, the figures almost reached 2 ‘5 million. At the European level, Spain remains in second position, only behind Germany, despite the effects of Covid. It must be remembered that the crisis of drivers and the lack of materials for the manufacture of cars during that period led to lower automobile production. Now, 2023 closed with 10.5% more than 2022, a hopeful figure for Spanish growth.
