globaltraffic.earth

Where does China get its cars? Import sources 2024

In 2024, China imported $35.5 billion of cars (1.4 million tonnes), 3.7% of the world total. Its main sources were Germany (32%), Japan (20%) and the United States (18%). China was the world’s 7th-largest importer of cars.

Summary

Value
$35.5billion
Tonnes
1.4million tonnes
Share of world total
3.7%
World rank
7th
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Germany11.3Tonnes: 392,760USD per tonne: $28,88032%Sea
Japan7Tonnes: 382,877USD per tonne: $18,39419.9%Sea
United States6.6Tonnes: 247,665USD per tonne: $26,46318.5%Sea
United Kingdom4.3Tonnes: 100,074USD per tonne: $42,54812%Sea
Slovakia3.1Tonnes: 116,780USD per tonne: $26,2478.6%Sea
Sweden0.75Tonnes: 40,516USD per tonne: $18,6072.1%Sea
Austria0.6Tonnes: 23,580USD per tonne: $25,2471.7%Sea
Italy0.43Tonnes: 4,051USD per tonne: $105,7571.2%Air
Canada0.28Tonnes: 11,100USD per tonne: $24,9390.78%Sea
Hungary0.26Tonnes: 14,769USD per tonne: $17,7850.74%Sea
Mexico0.26Tonnes: 13,809USD per tonne: $18,9630.74%Sea
South Korea0.18Tonnes: 7,674USD per tonne: $24,0130.52%Sea
Hong Kong re-exports0.12Tonnes: 3,133USD per tonne: $39,2510.35%Land
Thailand0.09Tonnes: 2,958USD per tonne: $31,7150.26%Sea
Netherlands re-exports0.05Tonnes: 2,278USD per tonne: $21,6520.14%Sea
Kuwait0.04Tonnes: 2,110USD per tonne: $16,6490.1%Sea
France0.02Tonnes: 1,038USD per tonne: $22,4890.07%Sea
South Africa0.02Tonnes: 1,146USD per tonne: $19,9410.06%Sea
Bahrain0.02Tonnes: 823USD per tonne: $21,4760.05%Sea
Belgium re-exports0.01Tonnes: 754USD per tonne: $17,6220.04%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Germany has been its main source since 2006

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Germany 11.3
  • Japan 7
  • United States 6.6
  • United Kingdom 4.3
  • Slovakia 3.1

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Germany0.2911.3
Japan0.177
United States0.086.6
United Kingdom< 0.014.3
Slovakia0.023.1

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

See all products