China's Auto Market Shows 'Cold at Home, Hot Abroad' Trend in First Three Quarters of 2026

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), domestic production and sales saw a slight decline in the first three quarters as the market overall exhibited a 'cold at home, hot abroad' trend. Driven by multiple factors, the domestic auto market continued to face pressure without effective improvement; meanwhile, despite complex and severe external conditions, exports maintained high growth rates, demonstrating strong resilience. New momentum continued to be released domestically, with the share of new energy vehicle sales steadily increasing. In September 2026, production and sales reached 2.99 million and 2.956 million units respectively, representing month-on-month increases of 11.4% and 9%, but year-on-year decreases of 8.7% and 8.4%. For January through September 2026, production and sales totaled 23.246 million and 23.271 million units respectively, both down 4.5% year-on-year.