- Electric vehicle shipments from eastern Chinese province more than double amid rising overseas demand
- Private automakers and deep supplier networks help drive rapid expansion across global markets
Electric vehicle (EV) exports from China’s manufacturing hub of Zhejiang Province more than doubled in the first two months of 2026, highlighting how regional carmakers are emerging as a key force behind the country’s accelerating push into global auto markets.
Outbound shipments of electric vehicles reached 11.53 billion yuan ($1.67 billion) during the January–February period, up 111% from a year earlier, according to data released by Hangzhou Customs.
Export volumes totaled 98,000 new-energy vehicles (NEVs), up 98.4% year on year and reaching buyers across 125 countries and regions.
Growth was particularly strong in emerging markets. Exports to the European Union rose about 70%, shipments to ASEAN markets increased 1.4 times, and deliveries to Latin America surged more than sixteenfold, underscoring how Chinese automakers are diversifying beyond traditional destinations.
Customs authorities did not disclose figures for traditional gasoline vehicle exports or issue a breakdown of NEV shipments between pure-electric and hybrid models during the same period.
Over the past decades, Zhejiang has become a core base for China’s private auto industry, home to more than 20 OEMs including legacy automaker Geely Holding Group and EV startup Leapmotor.
According to Geely, total exports across the passenger and commercial categories reached 121,000 units in the first two months of the year, a 129% increase over the previous year, with NEVs accounting for 67% of export sales in February alone.
Geely’s portfolio of brands includes premium marques Volvo and Lotus as well as pure-play EV upstarts Zeekr and Lynk & Co.
Leapmotor, for its part, has exported more than 100,000 vehicles cumulatively and established sales and service networks in roughly 40 overseas markets.
“Newly obtained Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification in 2026 is expected to streamline customs procedures and support further international expansion,” a Leapmotor representative said, declining to be named.
However, the firm still faces a significant gap toward its goal of exporting one million vehicles this year.
Beyond automakers, Zhejiang’s strength also lies in its extensive industrial ecosystem, with more than 3,000 auto parts suppliers forming a comprehensive supply chain that supports the province’s rapid rise as a global export base for EVs.
