Gasgoo Munich- Recently, Geely Automobile Holdings Chairman An Conghui addressed questions about overseas operations, noting that the company plans to "prioritize after-sales service" moving forward.
At a mid-term earnings briefing, the remark seemed minor at first glance. After all, the spotlight was on sales, revenue, and profit. Yet, viewed against the backdrop of Geely's international expansion this year, it carries a different weight.
From January to July, Geely exported 581,000 vehicles — more than double the previous year's figure — and topped 100,000 units for two straight months. Consequently, the automaker raised its full-year overseas sales target from 640,000 to 920,000 units, eyeing a sprint toward the million-unit mark.
Once sales reach this scale, shipping cars abroad is just the first step. Retaining those users becomes the new challenge. An Conghui's focus on after-sales highlights a shift: Chinese automakers are extending their competition to the backend, moving beyond a pure pursuit of sales volume.
This shift isn't isolated to Geely. GAC has launched a dedicated service brand overseas; Great Wall Motor has unified its global identity under the "GWM" badge; and BYD, Chery, and others are emphasizing a transition from simply exporting products to achieving local symbiosis. As more Chinese automakers integrate manufacturing, supply chains, channels, and after-sales into a single overseas strategy, the logic of going global is changing.
Chinese automakers are entering a new phase of globalization.
Image source: Huaban
From 1.0 to Now: What Has Changed?
The global push by Chinese automakers has been in constant flux.
Initially, the focus was simply on selling cars. Then came the drive to build a market. Later, companies began moving industrial capabilities like factories and supply chains abroad. Today, as overseas volumes for many Chinese automakers swell into the hundreds of thousands, the challenges they face are evolving once again.
Viewed over the past two decades, this journey roughly breaks down into several stages.
Version 1.0 was trade-based export, centered on "selling cars." At this stage, overseas markets were essentially an export business. Vehicles were produced domestically and sold locally through traders or overseas distributors. Once the automaker completed delivery, the transaction was largely over.
For Chinese automakers back then, the priority was straightforward: find a market and sell the cars.
By version 2.0, relying solely on trade was no longer enough. Automakers began establishing overseas sales subsidiaries, expanding dealer networks, and building brand awareness. They also started adapting products to specific national markets. Companies had to understand local consumer preferences, identify competitors, and figure out channel construction. Overseas business shifted from one-off transactions to continuous market operations.
Version 3.0 brought even greater change. As overseas sales grew, the limitations of producing domestically and shipping finished vehicles became apparent. Tariffs, shipping costs, local policies, and supply chain responsiveness forced automakers to realize that once sales networks are in place, manufacturing capabilities must follow.
Thus, overseas factories, local supply chains, and local production became new priorities. In recent years, Chinese automakers have moved from planning to building, and finally to operating plants in places like Thailand, Brazil, Hungary, and Indonesia. The shift moved from "exporting products" to "exporting industrial capabilities."
Image source: BYD
Now, the evolution has taken another step. A report published in April 2026 by Gasgoo Institute and AlixPartners notes that Chinese automotive exports are transitioning from simple vehicle shipment to a full ecosystem encompassing manufacturing, supply chains, and services. Automakers like BYD, SAIC, and Chery have even begun building their own ships.
This signals a move from isolated capabilities to systematic layout. Previously, an automaker might only need to solve one part of the puzzle—export, sales, or production. Now, manufacturing, supply chains, channels, services, and local operations must be coordinated within the same market.
So, the shift from 1.0 to today isn't just a change in export method; it represents an increase in the capabilities companies deploy abroad and the operational responsibilities they shoulder. From "selling cars" to "building markets" to "exporting industrial capabilities," Chinese automakers are entering a new era.
At This Stage, Volume Is Up
Why now?
For years, Chinese automakers have been laying the groundwork overseas, but around 2026, the industry began to accelerate noticeably. The reason is scale.
Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) shows that from January to July 2026, China's vehicle exports reached 6.14 million units, up 66.8% year-on-year. Passenger car exports hit 5.354 million units, a 72.5% increase, while new energy vehicle exports jumped 120% to 2.909 million units. Specifically in July, monthly exports hit 1.043 million units — an 81.3% annual rise — marking the second consecutive month above the 1 million mark.
Continuously shattering historical records, this volume would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago. This scale is beginning to influence how automakers operate. In the past, overseas business was merely incremental to the domestic market. Now, for leading players, overseas markets increasingly require standalone resource allocation.
Geely is a prime example. In July, Geely Auto exported 106,700 vehicles, surging 202.4% year-on-year. This was the second month in a row topping 100,000 units, setting a new monthly high. Overseas business means more than just sales volume for Geely. Geely Automobile Group CFO Dai Yong revealed at the earnings briefing that the gross margin for exports is about 10 percentage points higher than domestically. In other words, overseas operations are now impacting revenue, sales, and profit simultaneously.
Image source: Geely
Chery's overseas scale is even larger. From January to July, Chery Group exported 1.15 million vehicles, up 71.2%, accounting for 70% of its total. July alone saw 202,500 exports, a 70.1% jump, breaking the 200,000 barrier for the first time. In the first half of the year, Chery's overseas revenue neared 100 billion yuan, contributing 70% of the total.
BYD's overseas business is also ramping up quickly. In July, BYD sold 180,000 vehicles abroad, up 124% to a record high. For the first seven months, overseas cumulative sales reached about 970,000 units — 40% of the total — offsetting the impact of sluggish domestic demand. The overseas market has become an increasingly vital component of BYD's total sales growth.
Looking at new players, Leapmotor sold about 100,000 vehicles overseas in the first seven months. While a gap remains compared to traditional automakers, the growth rate of its international business is clearly accelerating.
Viewing the overseas figures of these leading automakers together, the change is stark: going abroad is no longer just about "testing the waters with a few tens of thousands of units." It is becoming a genuine source of sales volume for more and more Chinese automakers.
Once volume rises, the problems companies face evolve. When selling only tens of thousands of units a year, domestic R&D and production combined with overseas dealers can cover most needs. But when a company sells hundreds of thousands or even a million units abroad annually, relying solely on exports becomes increasingly difficult.
Should a local factory be built? How should the supply chain be configured? How are channels managed and local teams built? Should products be redeveloped for the local market? How is the after-sales network covered? These questions gradually move to the forefront.
This explains why Chinese automakers have become noticeably more active overseas recently. Factories are moving from planning to mass production, supply chains are extending abroad, sales networks are expanding, and products are being adapted for different markets. Overseas business is no longer just an extension of the domestic production system; it is forming a relatively independent operating system.
As volume grows, the approach to the market changes too. The past was more "sell wherever we can." Now, it is closer to "do what the market needs." Consequently, global models and market-specific "special editions" from Chinese automakers are appearing in overseas markets.
This is a crucial step, signaling that Chinese automakers are moving from scale expansion to a more complex stage of market operation. And as everyone starts taking overseas markets seriously, the next question arises: with the same goal of going global, how exactly should it be done?
Companies Find Their Own Strategies
A few years ago, Chinese automakers were in a phase of "collective exploration." Where to go, how to get there, and which model to use — every company was learning by trial and error. But as overseas volumes have grown, companies have begun choosing different paths based on their own conditions, leading to a divergence in strategies.
Geely is leveraging cooperation and shared capacity. At the earnings meeting, An Conghui stated clearly that Geely will "not build new overseas capacity" but will instead utilize existing partner resources. This includes collaborating with group companies like Volvo and Proton, as well as external partners like Renault and Ford, to synergize capacity, supply chains, and channels.
Currently, Geely has 12 manufacturing plants in operation overseas, a global channel network exceeding 2,000 outlets, and a presence in 114 core markets.
Chery has taken a different route. As an early entrant to overseas markets, Chery began exporting cars at the turn of the millennium. Over two decades, it has built channels, capacity, and a user base in many emerging markets. Today, Chery holds 12 major production bases globally, three of which are located overseas.
BYD places greater emphasis on exporting manufacturing capabilities. From Thailand to Brazil, and on to Hungary and Turkey, BYD is steadily advancing the construction of overseas plants, gradually extending its manufacturing and supply chain capabilities locally.
New forces are also finding their own answers. Leapmotor entered Europe through a partnership with Stellantis and is deploying models based on specific markets. In Europe, it primarily sells products like the T03 and C10, following a relatively affordable strategy.
No single model has become the standard answer, but one shift is clear: automakers are no longer following the same map abroad.
Paths are diverging, and overseas manufacturing is truly landing. In the past few years, many overseas plants were stuck in the planning and construction phases; now, projects by BYD, Great Wall Motor, and others in Thailand and Brazil have entered mass production.
Products are changing too. Previously, the focus was pushing mature domestic products overseas with minor adjustments for local regulations. Now, automakers are paying more attention to product and powertrain choices for different markets, tailoring combinations to local energy structures, infrastructure, and consumer habits.
As companies find their own paths, going global is no longer just about scale expansion; it is entering a deeper stage of localization.
The Real Test Has Just Begun
Paths are diverging, and overseas factories are coming online. But once the cars are sold, things get more complicated than just getting them there.
In recent years, Chinese automakers abroad have primarily solved frontend issues: product competitiveness, pricing advantages, channel rollout, and factory construction. These have clear milestones, involve spending money and hiring people, and progress can be quantified. But after the sale, the dynamic changes.
After-sales is the most direct example. A car might be exported and sold quickly, but the user will drive it for years. Where to get service, how long parts take to arrive, who fixes faults, and how software is upgraded — all these ultimately affect the user's judgment of the brand.
Moreover, overseas after-sales systems cannot simply replicate domestic models. Dealer capabilities, repair conditions, and parts supply vary significantly by country. The more cars sold, the more gaps need filling.
Geely's decision to single out after-sales service indicates that for an automaker selling hundreds of thousands of units overseas, service is shifting from a supporting role to a capability requiring continuous investment. GAC's launch of its first overseas dedicated service brand, GAC CARE, in Bangkok this year reflects a similar move.
Chery South Africa Rosslyn Plant. Image source: Chery
After-sales is just one facet. Looking ahead, there are local teams and operational capabilities.
The further overseas business progresses, the higher the demand for localized operations. Who makes product decisions? Who manages channels? Who coordinates supply chains and after-sales? Who interfaces with local governments and partners? These tasks have mature solutions domestically, but in a new market, different rules, habits, and business environments make direct transfer difficult.
And these capabilities cannot be solved simply by building a factory or opening a batch of dealerships; they must be accumulated gradually through long-term operation.
This means that facing the same overseas markets, different automakers may end up on completely different paths.
Some companies have a foundation in global M&A and industrial synergy and will leverage existing resources. Others have long histories of overseas operation and have accumulated channels and users in emerging markets. Some are better at heavy asset investment, choosing to build their own plants and export manufacturing capabilities. New forces tend to rely more on partners' channels and capacity to establish a market first.
Therefore, judging where an automaker stands in its globalization journey can no longer be done by looking at export volume alone. It is more telling to look at the path chosen, the resources supporting that strategy, and the current stage of progress.
This is the significance of breaking down these automakers one by one. Geely, Chery, BYD, Great Wall Motor, GAC, as well as new forces like Leapmotor and XPENG — while all are going global, the markets they face, the resources they hold, and the strategies they choose differ. Some are already in the deep cultivation phase, some are accelerating local manufacturing, and others are still finding their rhythm.
Even with the same goal of going abroad, different stages bring different challenges. Examining these automakers separately may offer a clearer picture of how far Chinese automotive exports have come than simply comparing who exports the most.
