Global car production: why does China account for nearly 40% of the cars built?
In 2025, more than 78 million cars were produced worldwide, and close to 40% of them came out of Chinese factories. With nearly 30 million vehicles built, China confirms a lasting shift of the industrial centre of gravity towards Asia.
According to figures published by ACEA, 77 million vehicles were registered worldwide in 2025. China stands as the largest market, with 24 million registrations, up 5.5%, confirming the strength of its domestic demand. The United States and Europe sit at comparable levels, at around 13 million registrations each, with Germany remaining the leading European market at 2.8 million units sold.
How is global car production now distributed? Where does France stand in the ranking? And which countries are emerging in this industrial reconfiguration?
The world’s top five car-producing countries
In 2025, more than 78 million cars were produced worldwide. The ranking reflects a lasting shift of the industrial centre of gravity towards Asia:
– China: close to 30 million vehicles produced
– United States: 7.3 million
– Japan: 7.2 million
– India: more than 5 million, confirming its rise
– Germany: 4 million, the only European country in the top five
China alone therefore produces more cars than the other four countries in the ranking combined.
This concentration illustrates the scale of Chinese domestic demand, but also the industrial capacity built up in recent years by the country’s manufacturers.
France, a car industry in retreat
France, for its part, lies far behind, with fewer than one million cars built on its soil in 2025. That slippage raises direct questions about the levers available for automotive reindustrialisation in Europe.
The contrast is stark: long regarded as a major car-making nation, France today produces a fraction of the volumes of the global leaders, even as European demand remains robust.
Morocco, Africa’s leading car producer
Another strong signal of this global reconfiguration: Morocco has become Africa’s leading car-producing country, with close to 500,000 vehicles leaving its factories in 2025.
That trajectory is driven by the presence of major European manufacturers and by an assertive industrial policy that has turned the kingdom into a genuine export hub towards Europe. Morocco illustrates a reshaping of production chains on a global scale, with new industrial poles emerging on the doorstep of the European market.
What this reconfiguration reveals
The 2025 ranking confirms a deep-seated movement: the centre of gravity of car production is shifting durably towards Asia, while Europe — Germany aside — sees its industrial weight decline.
For Europe, the challenge is no longer only commercial but industrial: preserving production capacity, skills and jobs. That is the whole point of the latest Auto 2026 study by the Observatoire Cetelem de BNP Paribas Personal Finance, which, faced with a worrying situation, identifies five levers capable of creating a healthy rebound for the sector.
FAQ – Global car production in 2025
Which country produced the most cars in the world in 2025?
China, with close to 30 million vehicles produced in 2025, nearly 40% of total global production.
Which are the world’s top five car-producing countries?
China (close to 30 million), the United States (7.3 million), Japan (7.2 million), India (more than 5 million) and Germany (4 million).
How many cars did France produce in 2025?
France produced fewer than one million cars in 2025, far behind the global leaders.
Which is the leading car-producing country in Africa?
Morocco, with close to 500,000 vehicles produced in 2025, now the leading car-manufacturing nation on the African continent.
How many cars were produced worldwide in 2025?
More than 78 million cars were produced worldwide in 2025, close to 40% of them in China.
Which was the largest European car market in 2025?
Germany remained the largest European market, with 2.8 million cars sold in 2025.
Key takeaways
In 2025, global car production passed 78 million vehicles, close to 40% of them built in China. The top five : China, the United States, Japan, India, Germany confirms the industrial shift towards Asia, while France, with fewer than one million cars produced, illustrates a worrying slippage. The emergence of Morocco as Africa’s leading producer completes this reshaping of global production chains.
