Chinese carmakers overtake Japan in Europe for first time

Visitors look at BYD cars at the 2026 Paris Motor Show on Oct. 13. | Reuters

Bloomberg

Oct 26, 2026

Chinese automakers outsold Japanese rivals in Europe for the first time over a full quarter, underscoring how quickly brands like BYD  and Chery Automobile are gaining ground in the region.

Registrations of Chinese-branded cars roughly doubled from a year earlier in September to make up 12.7% of total sales across the region, led by hybrids, according to market researcher Dataforce. That’s put them ahead of Japanese manufacturers including Toyota Motor at 11.9%.

While European manufacturers like Volkswagen or Renault still dominate the region, the speed of China’s surge has been a surprise. Five years ago, Chinese brands accounted for barely 1% of European sales. Japan’s automakers, by contrast, have spent decades building their position in Europe.

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