Le Monde: In the field of electric vehicles, China holds an absolute dominant position.

By 2025, Chinese brands are expected to account for approximately two-thirds of global EV sales. Entering 2026, although the domestic pure-electric vehicle market in China has contracted slightly due to the gradual phasing out of purchase subsidies, exports have surged dramatically: just in March alone, exports reached 183,000 units, doubling year-on-year. Cui Dongshu (phonetic), secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, forecasts that between 2026 and 2028, China's annual growth rate for EV exports to the European Union will average 20%. Even BYD, ranked sixth globally, has established its own fleet of transport ships, enabling autonomous exports of up to 1 million vehicles annually.

A November 2025 update from the International Energy Agency shows that China’s production costs for electric vehicles remain about 30% lower than those in developed economies. This advantage is not primarily due to labor costs. In factories located in Hefei (NIO), Guangzhou (XPeng), and Zhengzhou (BYD), nearly all processes are automated: robotic arms lift and rotate steel bodies, welding robots work in coordination, automated guided vehicles continuously supply components, and 3D scanners detect even the slightest defects. A small number of young workers handle installing seals, turn signals, and connecting sensors. By 2025, China had 229 automobile manufacturers and 1.21 million manufacturing employees, producing a total of 34.5 million vehicles throughout the year.

This industry also benefits from a complete local ecosystem. Unlike Western companies relying on global suppliers, Chinese enterprises control the entire value chain. BYD, for instance, produces as much as 80% of its electronic components—including chips and batteries—internally, while securing critical mineral supplies overseas.

China also boasts the world’s largest number of public charging stations, with 4.8 million units—surpassing the combined total of all other regions worldwide. At the Beijing International Auto Show (April 24 to May 3), one can see that China now offers a comprehensive product lineup ranging from micro city cars priced at 3,000 euros to luxury SUVs like Zeekr, to high-tech performance models such as Xiaomi’s electric vehicles.

Source: rfi

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864127978506315/

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