China’s EV Makers Ship Nearly 200,000 Cars in November—Here’s What It Means for the Future

China's electric vehicle sector just hit the accelerator on global exports.

The November Numbers

Nearly 200,000 units shipped overseas in a single month—that's the headline figure. It's a data point that cuts through the noise, signaling a manufacturing and logistical surge that bypasses traditional industry timelines. Analysts are scrambling to map the supply chain implications, while competitors watch their rearview mirrors.

Beyond the Factory Gates

This export wave isn't just about moving metal. It reshapes trade flows, tests port capacities, and pressures legacy automakers who've been slow to pivot. The strategy leans on scale and speed, turning production lines into a strategic asset. Some see it as pure industrial policy; others call it a market takeover in motion.

The finance crowd, of course, is already trying to tokenize it—because nothing says 'innovation' like putting a speculative derivative on a physical good shipping across an ocean.

The bottom line? One month's export tally can rewrite an entire year's forecast. China's EV push has shifted from a domestic story to a global reality check.

Mexico tops China’s November EV sales while regional demand stays uneven

Mexico ranked first among all Chinese EV export destinations in November, taking 19,344 electric vehicles, a massive 2,367% jump from a year ago, while its total deliveries there reached 96,194 units for the year so far, up 150%, making Mexico the fastest-growing market for China this year.

Across regions, Asia absorbed 110,061 vehicles in November, a 71% rise, and reached 994,132 units year to date, up by 36%.

According to China Customs, Europe followed with 42,927 vehicles, up 63%, and 604,105 units shipped so far this year. Chinese EV shipments into the European Union alone climbed 39% to 25,792 vehicles during the month.

Meanwhile, Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the sharpest regional growth, with 35,182 vehicles in November, up 283%, bringing the annual total to 249,502 units, a 65% increase. Oceania imported 6,348 vehicles, up 70%, while Africa received 4,632 units, a 134% rise, lifting its yearly total to 37,101 vehicles.

Northern America stood out on the downside, with only 686 vehicles shipped in November, a 46% plunge, leaving year-to-date deliveries at 8,668 units, down by 73%.

Among individual markets after Mexico, Indonesia imported 17,503 vehicles in November, up 302%, with 97,267 units shipped this year. Thailand received 13,517 vehicles, rising 66%, while the Philippines took 12,562, up 30%, and Malaysia imported 9,626 vehicles (up 273%), and Turkiye recorded 9,292 units, a 760% surge.

The UK received 9,096 vehicles, rising 113%, while Belgium imported 8,953, up 8.6%, even as its yearly total slipped 15%. Brazil took 8,504 vehicles, up 155%, and India imported 8,288, rising 6.4%.

Leapmotor deal and profit slump add pressure at home for China EV markets

At home, China’s crowded EV market continued to thin as Zhejiang Leapmotor agreed to sell 3.74 billion yuan, or $534 million, worth of shares to state-owned FAW Group, giving FAW a 5% stake once regulators approve the deal, which could take months, according to Bloomberg.

The transaction comes as more than 100 Chinese EV brands fight for buyers while sales growth slows, since years of price cuts have hit margins across the supply chain, and authorities have encouraged state-backed companies like FAW to absorb smaller players. Leapmotor, which runs a global distribution venture with Stellantis NV, is among the few local EV makers posting profits. Its family-focused SUVs helped sales in the first 11 months of 2025 double from a year earlier, passing its 500,000 vehicle target ahead of schedule.

Leapmotor CEO Zhu Jiangming said in a company WeChat post on Sunday, “The goal is to sell one million vehicles next year and reach four million in annual sales within ten years.”

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