EVs are spreading across emerging markets — led by Chinese cars
EV growth is not only a China and EU story. Electrified vehicle sales are also expanding in emerging markets, and Chinese brands are driving much of that growth. This article uses primary information to organize where China sits in the global market and how its cars are penetrating emerging economies.
China — the supply base with 70% of production and two-thirds of sales
Start with scale. China's electrified vehicle sales exceeded 11 million units in 2024, accounting for about two-thirds of global sales. In production, China also handled more than 70% of the global total and held the largest export share. In other words, China is no longer only a domestic market; it has become the supply base sending cars to the world. When EVs increase in emerging markets, there is a high probability that those vehicles are made in China.
Emerging markets — Brazil and Thailand respond differently
Emerging markets are not reacting in one uniform way. In Brazil, EV sales doubled in 2024, and Chinese cars accounted for more than 85% of that volume. It is an example of Chinese brands rapidly gaining share once a market opened.
Thailand, by contrast, is taking a conditional acceptance strategy. Under Thailand's EV incentive program "EV 3.5," OEMs must commit to producing two BEVs domestically for every imported BEV. The design lets inexpensive Chinese cars enter while trying to keep production and employment inside the country. Emerging markets are each searching for their own balance between "market opening" and "securing local production."
Electrification is also spreading to commercial vehicles
Electrification is not limited to passenger cars. Electric truck sales rose by about 80% in 2024, and China accounted for more than 80% of global sales. Across both passenger and commercial vehicles, the structure is the same: China controls volume.
China as the global supply base
In 2024, China's EV sales were about two-thirds of the global total, and production was over 70%. With the largest export share, many cars flowing into emerging markets are made in China.
Brazil: opening brings Chinese cars above 85%
EV sales doubled in 2024, and Chinese cars accounted for more than 85%. Market opening allowed Chinese brands to win share quickly.
Thailand: conditional acceptance
EV 3.5 requires a commitment to produce two domestic BEVs for every imported BEV. It admits inexpensive Chinese cars while securing local production.
Commercial vehicles are China led too
Electric trucks grew by about 80% in 2024, with China accounting for more than 80% of global sales. China controls volume in both passenger and commercial vehicles.
Business implications and checkpoints
EV growth in emerging markets is moving together with the global expansion of Chinese-made EVs. For suppliers and manufacturers, competitive conditions and the need for localization differ depending on whether the target country follows a "market-opening model" like Brazil or a "local-production requirement model" like Thailand. The starting point for an emerging-market strategy is to read each market's institutional design: whether to compete on the same ground as inexpensive Chinese cars, or to use local production requirements to create separation. The global and regional structure is covered in the related articles.