Stellantis and Dongfeng Group announced a European joint venture with 51:49 stakes, responsible for Voyah brand sales in Europe and potential production at Stellantis' Rennes plant in France. This marks a leap from whole-vehicle export to localized production for Chinese automakers.
In May 2026, Russia and five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan) successively updated import and export bans involving auto parts, vehicle import tariffs, and environmental standards. Chinese automakers' compliance costs in these markets have risen significantly, but this has also created new opportunities for localized production and supply chain adjustments.
Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) shows that China's vehicle exports reached 2.226 million units in Q1 2026, a year-over-year increase of 56.7%, setting a new historical record for the same period. Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia are the primary growth engines, with NEV export share rising to 38%. This data confirms the leap of China's automotive export from "quantitative change" to "qualitative change," with global supply chains undergoing structural restructuring.
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