At the northern tip of South America, Venezuela is quietly reaching a crescendo in a mobility shift led by Chinese auto brands.
On Jan. 4, Gasgoo learned from CPCA secretary-general Cui Dongshu that in the first 11 months of 2025, China exported 17,099 vehicles to Venezuela — up 130% year on year.
Of that, passenger-vehicle shipments were 10,201 units, a 166% jump; truck exports stood at 1,481, up 99%.
Once seen as an "investment no-go zone," Venezuela is now a small market where Chinese carmakers — with striking localization and agile market adaptation — are securing meaningful share, with annual sales poised to rise to around 30,000.
Venezuela: a new star in China's overseas auto push
After years of severe inflation and economic turmoil, Venezuela's auto market stalled. That backdrop, paradoxically, created an opening for Chinese brands.
Previously, according to public information on the Ministry of Commerce website, an October 2024 report by Venezuela's Banking and Business quoted Gonzalez, president of JAC Motors Venezuela, as saying new-car sales would reach about 17,000 to 18,000 units in 2024 and could rise to 30,000 in 2025 — a 70% increase.
At the time, JAC held roughly 27% of the new-car market, with pickups and trucks as its core models.
More notable is localization — 95% of JAC vehicles are assembled in Venezuela, with monthly capacity of about 500 units.
This "locally assembled, locally sold" approach not only trims import costs for complete vehicles, it also creates jobs — winning support from both the government and consumers.
Gonzalez emphasized that Chinese automakers have advanced rapidly in technology and innovation, showcasing the strength of China's manufacturing. Beyond cars, some 90% of motorcycles on the Venezuelan market now come from China.
Image source: screenshot from the Ministry of Commerce website
Changan Auto is also putting in a solid showing.
In an exclusive interview published in October 2024, Roberto, Changan Auto's Venezuelan dealer, said Changan Auto currently ranks third in the country's new passenger-car market and expects sales in Venezuela to reach 2,500 units in 2025 — up 15%-20%.
Roberto said, citing the national auto industry association, that passenger-car sales hit 520,000 in 2007 but fell to just 1,000 at the 2018 trough. For 2024, he expects 15,000 to 20,000 units, noting the main constraint on sales is the lack of financing for buyers.
Beyond Russia, South America is rising in China's overseas auto footprint
Venezuela's breakout isn't an isolated case — it's a snapshot of a broader South American play by Chinese brands.
CAAM data show that in the first half of 2025, China exported 3.083 million vehicles, up 10.4% year on year.
As the Russian market softens, Chinese automakers are scouring the globe for new growth pillars.
According to the CPCA, in the first nine months of 2025 China exported 5.71 million vehicles, an increase of 21%. Mexico became the top destination, the United Arab Emirates ranked second, and Russia slipped to third.
The shift signals a quiet reshaping of export destinations. For the past two years, Russia had been the largest market — yet import duties, scrappage taxes, and after-sales and repair challenges have weighed on shipments.
Today, South America is seen as a key growth pole and strategic depth for Chinese automakers' global expansion.
CPCA data paint a wider picture: among China's top 10 export destinations in January–November 2025, Mexico ranked first with 573,453 vehicles, up 48%; Brazil placed fourth with 285,122, up 31%. Both outpaced the 26% overall growth rate for China's finished-vehicle exports.
The pivot matters. It lowers reliance on a single market and bolsters resilience against global trade risk. That pressure won't fade soon.
