1.45 million vehicles exported per year, 4,000 cars daily, an 68.1 percent growth in new energy vehicle exports, and a European designer who joined SAIC

As reported by CCTV+, Chinese automakers have been recognized as pioneers of electrification and intelligent innovation. Deep integration with artificial intelligence and the attraction of international talent are taking the industry to a new level.

Technological momentum has driven solid growth in new energy vehicle exports. In the first months of 2026, exports of new energy vehicles grew by 68.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

At Shanghai’s Haitong International Automotive Terminal, about 4,000 vehicles are processed daily. Last year, China exported more than 1.45 million vehicles through this port alone. That means a car made in China is sold approximately every 30 seconds.

Li Gengjun, an employee of Shanghai Haitong International Automotive Terminal Co., Ltd., said: “One vessel can carry up to 3,700 vehicles. Most of them are new energy vehicles, and they are all bound for Australia. In one shipment, we process up to 5,700 vehicles. That is our normal working day.”

In the first months of 2026, the port of Shanghai exported new energy vehicles worth 109.13 billion yuan (about 14.9 billion US dollars). That is an increase of 62.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

The double growth in volume and value of China’s auto industry exports is the result of innovation by Chinese companies.

At SAIC’s development center in Shanghai, the world’s first prototype of a car with an AI-driven architecture was unveiled. This demonstrates China’s latest achievements in intelligent car manufacturing.

Josef Kaban, Vice President of SAIC Motor’s Global Development Center, noted that Chinese companies and consumers show a high level of acceptance of new technologies. Product iteration cycles here are very fast.

Kaban believes that the combination of cutting-edge technology with European design philosophies has created fertile ground for innovation. It is now possible to integrate AI-driven architecture and data algorithms into the design of new energy vehicles. Cooperation with major Chinese companies in the field of AI models allows the creation of cars that meet all user needs.

Kaban explained: “For us, AI is very important. It allows not only to control movement but also to integrate data from various sensors. The car understands not only the road but also the driver. It can adapt to his mood and habits to make the trip as comfortable as possible.”

In 2024, Kaban joined a Chinese automaker. Previously, he held positions at companies such as Skoda, BMW, Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen. In his opinion, the global panorama of automotive design is undergoing a fundamental transformation. China is at the center of these changes.

Kaban emphasized: “The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation, and China is at the center of this process. SAIC’s scale, its power, its technological solutions — all of this is narrowing the gap in the global market. I am very honored to be part of this project.”

One car every 30 seconds. 1.45 million cars a year. 68 percent growth. China’s auto industry is no longer catching up — it is setting the pace. And it is doing so not with price, but with technology. European designers are moving to Chinese companies because the future arrives faster here. Artificial intelligence in a car is no longer an option. It is the architecture. The question is not how many more cars China will sell. The question is when the rest of the world will stop asking “who made it” and start asking “how do they do it so fast”. The answer is on the assembly line. Where a new car is born every thirty seconds.