Gitnux/Report 2026

Automotive Car Industry Statistics

The global automotive market is forecast to reach $2.84 trillion in 2026, explore the figures behind company financials, electrification and operating indicators, and the latest innovation and analytics shifts.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Automotive Car Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The automotive car industry at a glance

The global automotive market was valued at $2.75 trillion in 2025, while production, electrification and competition from Chinese manufacturers continued to reshape the industry.

$2.75T[19]
Global market size, 2025
4.0%[19]
Forecast CAGR, 2026–2033
96.4M[99]
Vehicles produced worldwide, 2025
20M+[1]
Electric cars sold, 2025
Market size
The global automotive market was valued at $2.75 trillion in 2025. Grand View Research estimates the market will reach $2.84 trillion in 2026.[19]
Forecast & CAGR
The market is forecast to reach $3.72 trillion by 2033, implying a 4.0% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2033. A separate Frost & Sullivan estimate projects global vehicle sales to rise from 98.6 million in 2025 to 128.1 million in 2030, a 5.4% CAGR.[19][100]
Market share & regions
Asia Pacific accounted for 33.3% of global automotive revenue in 2025, the largest regional share. China also accounted for almost two-thirds of global electric-car sales in 2024, underlining its importance in the industry’s growth.[19][1]
Segmentation
Passenger cars represented 44.0% of global automotive revenue in 2025, while internal-combustion vehicles represented 84.8%. The market is also segmented by commercial vehicles, electric and hybrid propulsion, personal and commercial applications, and vehicle classes such as economy, mid-range and premium.[19]
Key players & concentration
The industry remains fragmented across global vehicle manufacturers, regional producers and suppliers, but leading groups retain substantial positions in major markets. In the EU in 2025, Volkswagen Group held a 27.7% share of new-car registrations, followed by Stellantis at 13.4% and Renault Group at 9.5%.[101]
Pricing
The average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price reached $49,220 in May 2026, up 1.2% from May 2025. High prices reflect a sales mix weighted toward SUVs, pickups and other larger vehicles, as well as higher equipment and technology content.[102]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Electrification, connected-car software, advanced driver-assistance systems and demand in emerging markets are the main growth drivers. The industry also faces affordability pressure, high financing costs, tariffs, supply-chain exposure and slower demand for some electric-vehicle models; global electric-car sales nevertheless exceeded 20 million in 2025, up 20% from 2024.[1][4]
Consumer behavior & competition
Consumers are increasingly choosing SUVs, pickups and electrified vehicles, while competition is intensifying from Chinese manufacturers offering lower-cost electric models. In the EU, battery-electric cars captured 17.4% of new-car registrations in 2025, with 1,880,370 units registered.[29][1]
M&A
Automotive M&A remained active but selective in 2026, with buyers focusing on electronics, software, power electronics and connected-vehicle capabilities. Completed automotive M&A deals increased from 95 in the second quarter of 2026 to 98 in the third quarter.[103][4]
Regulation
Vehicle makers continue to manage fuel-economy, greenhouse-gas, safety and zero-emission requirements across jurisdictions. In the United States, the combined CAFE and EPA light-duty standards for model year 2025 were estimated at 48.7–49.7 miles per gallon or higher, while the EPA rescinded its greenhouse-gas endangerment finding and related motor-vehicle standards in February 2026.[104][105]
Latest news
The latest structural trend is accelerating electric-car adoption: global electric-car sales exceeded 20 million in 2025, and monthly sales surpassed a 50% share in 11 of 12 months. In parallel, 2026 automotive deal activity showed modest consolidation, with 98 completed deals recorded in the third quarter.[1][103]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Automotive Car Industry

The leading companies in the automotive car industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

BYD stands out for electrified cars because it reported RMB 803.965 billion revenue in 2025, while Toyota focuses on passenger vehicles since it reported 9.36 million vehicle sales in fiscal 2025.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in electrified vehicles

    BYD

    CN

    Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Electrified vehicles

    Why we picked it: It operates electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and commercial vehicles, supported by RMB 803.965 billion in 2025 revenue.

    See in ranking ↓Visit bydglobal.com ↗

  2. Leader in passenger vehicles

    Toyota

    JP

    Ranked #2 · 9.2 · Passenger vehicles

    Why we picked it: It sells passenger cars, trucks, and hybrids globally, backed by 9.36 million vehicle sales in fiscal 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit toyota.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    General Motors

    US

    Ranked #3 · 9.0 · Passenger vehicles

    Why we picked it: It covers North American cars, trucks, and SUVs, with revenue growth of -1.3% and a 1.6% operating margin in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit gm.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Pick 2 is the highest-ranked company in the top 5 that adds a new segment; no further segment places in the top 5, so pick 3 follows rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the automotive car industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

BYD

Electrified vehicles · CN

9.4
2

Toyota

Passenger vehicles · JP

9.2
3

General Motors

Passenger vehicles · US

9.0
4

Tata Motors

Passenger vehicles · IN

8.9
5

Hyundai Motor Group

Passenger vehicles · KR

8.8
6

Tesla

Electric cars, energy products and charging · US

8.7
7

Mercedes-Benz Group

Premium cars, SUVs and vans · DE

8.6
8

Changan Automobile

Chinese passenger cars and electric vehicles · CN

8.6
9

Honda

Global cars, motorcycles and power products · JP

8.5
10

Stellantis

Global passenger cars, trucks and commercial vehicles · NL

8.4

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the automotive car industry. In Automotive Car Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/automotive-car-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Revenue of the largest automotive car companies

Toyota leads with $321.8B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).

Toyota$321.8B
General Motors$185.0B
Stellantis$165.8B
Honda$146.0B
Mercedes-Benz Group$142.8B
BYD$112.6B
source-verifiedglobal.toyota · investor.gm.com · stellantis.com · global.honda · group.mercedes-benz.com · bydglobal.com2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

We see adoption moving from automation into broader AI and production use, with around 50% of new cars sold globally in 2025 featuring steering and speed automation.

AI in the automotive car industry

  • Waymo reduced the estimated cost of its robotaxi vehicle from more than $100,000 initially to about $70,000 by 2026.[1]
  • Around 50% of new cars sold globally in 2025 featured systems that automate steering and speed control.[1]
  • 100% of commercial robotaxis were battery-electric vehicles in 2026.[1]
  • Approximately 20 cities hosted commercial robotaxi services globally in 2025.[1]
  • 10% of cars sold in China in 2025 were equipped with Level 2+ automated-driving technology.[1]
  • More than 20 cities worldwide had commercial electric driverless-taxi services in operation in 2026.[1]

Automation in the automotive car industry

  • 13,700 industrial robots were installed in the United States automotive industry in 2024, up 10.7% year on year.[2]
  • 12,421 industrial robots were installed in the United States automotive industry in 2023.[2]
  • 13,500 industrial robots were installed in the United States automotive industry in 2025, about 1% fewer than in 2024.[2]
  • Automotive accounted for 33% of all industrial-robot installations in the United States in 2023.[2]
  • The automotive sector represented almost 60% of industrial-robot installations in Canada in 2022.[3]
  • 13,747 industrial robots were installed in the United States automotive industry in 2024.[2]

Digital Transformation in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive, 47% of companies use AI and other advanced technologies today, a share expected to reach 72% by 2030, according to executives surveyed in 2026.[4]
  • Across automotive manufacturing, technology investment rose 35% year over year, from 23% to 31% of operating budgets, in 2024.[5]
  • Across automotive, 52% of executives said continuous transformation is now the industry norm rather than a program with an end date in 2026.[6]
  • Across automotive, 36% of executives said their company is entering a phase of deep transformation affecting business models, products and operations over the next three years in 2025.[6]

Technology Adoption in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive, 86% of companies reported investing heavily in AI and emerging technologies in 2025.[7]
  • Across automotive manufacturing, 56% identified quality control as an AI application, while 45% identified process optimization and 45% robotics in 2025.[5]
  • Across automotive, only 36% of AI and software initiatives had scaled beyond pilot stage and been adopted across the organization in 2026.[6]
  • Across automotive manufacturing, 48% of surveyed companies were not using AI in production in 2024, while 18% used it for supplier search.[8]

Cloud Computing in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive OEMs and suppliers, 44% reported that 50%–74% of infrastructure was in the cloud in the 2022 study.[9]
  • Across midsize automotive businesses, 39.8% cited cloud migration as a priority for simplification and process improvement, compared with 37.8% across industries, in the reported study.[10]
  • Across automotive and manufacturing organizations, 10% described themselves as cloud-evolved, the most advanced cloud-adoption category, in 2026.[11]
  • Across automotive OEMs and suppliers, 67% reported cloud spending below 1% of annual revenue in the 2022 study.[9]

Big Data in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive businesses, 50.8% prioritized new or updated analytics products and decision-making tools to simplify work and processes in the reported study.[10]
  • Across automotive manufacturers, 76% viewed manufacturing analytics as very or extremely valuable in the 2021 smart-manufacturing survey.[12]
  • Across automotive executives, 81% reported collecting connected-vehicle telemetry, while 40% had an automated pipeline linking data collection, insights, validation and deployment in 2026.[13]
  • 28% of automotive survey respondents have invested in predictive maintenance systems, according to a 2025 global automotive industry survey.[14]
  • 43% of data collected by automotive manufacturers is used effectively, according to a 2024 global automotive manufacturing survey.[5]
  • 34% of automotive manufacturers say industry leaders use collected data to improve or monitor product quality, globally in 2024.[5]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

We highlight the data foundation gap and governance friction, with 79% reporting that data-governance policies vary across departments.

Business intelligence in the automotive car industry

  • 282.6 million connected cars were estimated to be in operation worldwide in 2024.[15]
  • 91% of automotive business leaders believe agentic analytics can make insights more timely.[16]
  • RMB779.4 billion was the global automotive intelligence market size in 2024.[17]
  • 88% of automotive business leaders say a strong data foundation is the most critical factor for AI deployment.[16]
  • 96% of automotive business leaders believe agentic analytics can make data more accessible.[16]
  • 79% of automotive companies report that data-governance policies vary across departments.[16]

Data analytics in the automotive car industry

  • 43.03% was the combined 2024 market share of Bosch, Continental, Microsoft, Samsara and Siemens in predictive maintenance for vehicles.[18]
  • 51.7% of automotive predictive-analytics market revenue came from software in 2024.[19]
  • 78% of U.S. dealerships surveyed in December 2024 were unsure how to use predictive data effectively.[20]
  • 24% of automotive software survey respondents reported extensive AI and machine-learning integration into vehicle product design in 2024.[21]
  • $1.8 billion was the global automotive predictive-analytics market size in 2024.[19]
  • 71% of automotive software survey respondents said AI and machine learning affected vehicle product design in 2024.[21]

Data Quality in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • 30% of tier-one and tier-two automotive suppliers use real-time statistical process-control software, while 12% run software checks manually, in a 2021 survey.[22]
  • 55% of tier-one and tier-two automotive suppliers still conduct capability studies in Excel, based on a 2021 survey of 215 suppliers.[22]
  • 57% of automotive quality leaders estimate total quality costs exceed 5% of revenue, based on a 2026 survey of 65 leaders.[23]
  • 68% of automotive respondents identify data and technology adoption as a priority, according to Hexagon’s 2025 advanced manufacturing survey.[24]
  • 5% of automotive firms fully use 76–100% of their collected data, according to the 2025 global automotive manufacturing survey.[5]

Data Governance in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • 42% of automotive OEMs employ a chief privacy officer to oversee systemic handling of sensitive data, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[6]
  • 67% of automotive OEMs report to the board on customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[6]
  • 34% of automotive manufacturers report complete visibility of data flows across all processes and IT-OT systems, based on a 2019 survey of 100 firms.[13]
  • 78% of automotive OEMs use metrics and KPIs to govern customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[6]
  • 40% of automotive manufacturers have established a data-governance framework covering data flow, access control and retention, according to a 2019 survey of 100 firms.[13]
  • 84% of automotive OEMs use a cross-functional steering committee to govern customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[6]

KPIs in the automotive car industry

  • 426,536 battery-electric vehicles were delivered by BMW Group in 2024.[25]
  • 2,450,854 vehicles were delivered by BMW Group’s automotive segment in 2024.[25]
  • 1.6 non-conforming parts per million parts sold was Kongsberg Automotive’s 2025 FCS KPI.[26]
  • 7.0% was the weighting assigned to Stellantis’ quality failure-rate KPI in its 2024 strategic incentive metrics.[27]
  • 744,794 all-electric vehicles were delivered by Volkswagen Group worldwide in 2024.[28]
  • 31.4% was Volkswagen Group Automotive’s cash-conversion rate in 2024.[28]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

We track electrification scale-up expectations, with 23 million electric cars expected to be sold globally in 2026 and battery-electric share rising in the EU.

Growth in the automotive car industry

  • Electric-car sales in Southeast Asia more than doubled in 2025, reaching nearly 20% of regional car sales.[1]
  • Battery-electric cars represented 17.4% of EU new-car registrations in 2025, up from 13.6% in 2024.[29]
  • China accounted for nearly 75% of global electric-car production in 2025.[1]
  • 23 million electric cars are expected to be sold globally in 2026, equivalent to about 28% of total car sales.[1]
  • More than 2.5 million electric cars were exported from China in 2025, double the 2024 level.[1]
  • China’s car market grew 5.5% in 2025, supported by scrappage incentives and new-energy-vehicle policies.[29]

Differentiation in the automotive car industry

  • Chinese automakers supplied 60% of global electric-car sales in 2025, compared with about 15% each for European and North American automakers.[1]
  • Toyota sold 1,183,248 electrified vehicles in the United States in 2025, up 17.6% year on year.[30]
  • Audi Group revenue reached €65.503 billion in 2025, driven partly by a higher proportion of fully electric models.[31]
  • Volkswagen Group’s automotive research-and-development ratio was 6.7% of automotive sales revenue in 2025.[32]
  • Volkswagen Group’s automotive division spent €19.4 billion on research and development in 2025.[32]
  • BMW Group delivered 2,463,681 vehicles worldwide in 2025, with electrified vehicles representing 26.1% of deliveries.[33]

Mergers and acquisitions in the automotive car industry

  • Sonic Automotive acquired five franchised-dealership businesses during 2025.[34]
  • Sonic Automotive’s 2025 acquisitions included approximately $166.1 million of acquired inventory.[34]
  • International automotive transactions totaled 161 in 2025, compared with 182 in 2024.[35]
  • Sonic Automotive’s 2025 acquisitions included approximately $202.0 million of acquired franchise assets.[34]
  • Automotive M&A activity comprised 40 public-company transactions in 2025.[35]
  • Cross-border automotive transactions totaled 152 in 2025, compared with 145 in 2024.[35]

Strategic partnerships in the automotive car industry

  • Volkswagen Group’s joint venture with AWS connects 43 factories worldwide to its Digital Production Platform.[36]
  • Lucid closed a $300 million investment from Uber in 2025 to support an electric robotaxi partnership.[37]
  • GM and Hyundai expect their co-developed vehicles to exceed 800,000 annual sales once fully scaled.[38]
  • Toyota announced a $3.6 billion expansion of its San Antonio vehicle plant in 2026 to add a second assembly line.[30]
  • Volkswagen Group and Rivian’s joint venture had more than 1,500 employees one year after its November 2024 founding.[36]
  • Toyota’s San Antonio expansion is expected to create 2,000 new jobs and add 2.5 million square feet by 2030.[30]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

We focus on workforce structure and training time as operational indicators, including 13.4% Mercedes-Benz employee turnover in fiscal 2025.

Hiring in the automotive car industry

  • 28.0% of Ford’s worldwide salaried employees were women at December 31, 2024, a key indicator of the company’s available gender-diversity hiring base.[39]
  • 30 new graduate trainees were recruited by Aston Martin in 2024.[40]
  • 43% of McLaren Racing’s new starters in 2024 came from under-represented backgrounds.[41]
  • 11% of automotive hires came from referrals, although referrals represented only 1% of applicants in the 2024 recruiting-metrics dataset.[42]
  • 25.7% of Ford’s U.S. salaried and hourly workforce were women at December 31, 2024.[39]

Employee retention in the automotive car industry

  • 80% of dealership workers reported overall job satisfaction in the latest CDK study reported in 2026.[43]
  • 13.4% was Mercedes-Benz employee turnover in fiscal year 2025.[44]
  • 100% of eligible Lamborghini employees underwent performance evaluation in 2024, supporting career-development and retention processes.[45]
  • 0.8 percentage points lower was automotive turnover than non-automotive turnover in the IMI’s three-year combined analysis.[46]
  • 86% of Lamborghini employees were eligible for performance evaluation in 2024.[45]

Remote Work in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across global automotive companies, 2% of corporate employees worked fully remotely in 2024, according to a survey of 120 automotive CEOs.[7]
  • Across automotive and other transportation companies, 61% said in 2024 that they were seeking more remote workers in low-cost-of-living areas.[47]
  • Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 3.4% of positions were fully remote in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[48]
  • Across automotive and other transportation companies, 63% said in 2024 that they were mandating employees return to the workplace.[47]

Hybrid Work in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across global automotive companies, 3% of corporate employees worked in hybrid arrangements in 2024, according to a survey of 120 automotive CEOs.[7]
  • Across global automotive companies, 96% of corporate employees worked in-office in 2024, leaving 4% in fully remote or hybrid arrangements.[7]
  • Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 64% of positions were fully in-person in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[48]
  • Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 32.6% of positions were fully hybrid in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[48]

Upskilling in the automotive car industry

  • 29 hours was the average training time per employee at Volkswagen do Brasil in 2024.[49]
  • 1.3 days was DENSO’s average training time per employee in fiscal 2024.[50]
  • 10.58 hours was Stellantis’s average employee training time in 2024.[40]
  • 14.98 hours was Stellantis’s average white-collar employee training time in 2024.[40]
  • 344,264 training hours were recorded by Mitsubishi Motors in fiscal 2024.[49]

Employee Engagement in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 70% of surveyed employees said they were empowered to make decisions at work in 2025.[51]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 79% of 312 surveyed employees said they felt respected and valued by colleagues, teammates, or peers in 2025.[51]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 70% of surveyed employees were satisfied or very satisfied with their job in 2025.[51]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 60% of surveyed employees intended to still work for their current company two years later in 2025.[51]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 73% of surveyed employees said their work was purposeful in 2025.[51]

DEI in the automotive car industry

  • 22% of Michigan automotive-manufacturing workers were Black or African American in 2024.[52]
  • 65% of Michigan automotive-manufacturing workers were White in 2024.[52]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

We see channel mix and satisfaction metrics shaping buying experience, including 90% of U.S. electric-vehicle buyers preferring online channels for initial research.

Customer experience in the automotive car industry

  • 65% of non-AI users were satisfied with the time required to complete the 2025 U.S. vehicle-buying process.[53]
  • 71% of mostly digital U.S. buyers not using artificial intelligence reported satisfaction with the overall 2025 buying experience.[53]
  • 44% of U.S. new-vehicle buyers said their 2025 purchase experience was better than their previous purchase.[53]
  • 81% of AI users were satisfied with the time required to complete the 2025 U.S. vehicle-buying process.[53]
  • 81% of U.S. new-car buyers reported high satisfaction with their dealership experience in the 2025 study.[53]

Customer retention in the automotive car industry

  • 3 automotive brands recorded U.S. retention declines greater than 5 percentage points in 2024.[54]
  • 14 automotive brands improved U.S. retention in 2024, but only one improved by more than 3 percentage points.[54]
  • 6 automotive brands had U.S. retention rates above 50% in 2024.[54]
  • 43.9% was the average U.S. automotive brand retention rate in 2024.[54]
  • 44% of other U.S. dealerships rated service-sales integration at least 8 out of 10 in 2025.[53]

Customer acquisition in the automotive car industry

  • 90% of U.S. electric-vehicle buyers preferred online channels for initial research in the 2023 automotive survey.[55]
  • 44% of 2025 U.S. new-vehicle purchases used both online and offline channels.[53]
  • 47% of U.S. new-car buyers said dealership visits were useful for researching vehicle types, makes and models in 2026.[56]
  • 6% of 2025 U.S. new-vehicle purchases were completed entirely online.[53]
  • 75% of U.S. car buyers reported high satisfaction with their shopping experience in 2024.[53]

Customer loyalty in the automotive car industry

  • 60.2% of U.S. premium-SUV owners remained loyal to Lexus in 2024.[57]
  • 57.5% of U.S. premium-car owners remained loyal to Porsche in the 2024 J.D. Power study.[57]
  • 53.4% was the U.S. new-vehicle brand-loyalty rate in the first half of 2026.[58]
  • 55.8% of U.S. premium-SUV owners remained loyal to BMW in 2024.[57]
  • 49.0% of U.S. premium-car owners remained loyal to Mercedes-Benz in 2024.[57]

Lead generation in the automotive car industry

  • 30 million unique pieces of dealer inventory were included in Foureyes’ 2024 benchmark dataset.[59]
  • 22,000 automotive dealership websites contributed data to the 2024 benchmark report.[60]
  • 90% of U.S. electric-vehicle buyers used online channels for initial research in EY’s 2023 automotive survey.[55]
  • 1.1 billion dealer website visits were included in Foureyes’ 2024 automotive benchmark dataset.[59]
  • 21,500 automotive dealership websites contributed data to the 2023 lead-generation benchmark report.[61]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

We track buyer influence signals using online mention sentiment and channel usage, including 45% of emotion-categorized online automotive mentions expressing anger.

Marketing in the automotive car industry

  • $414 million was spent on advertising by New Jersey franchised new-vehicle dealerships in 2024.[62]
  • 43% of new-vehicle buyers considered both new and used vehicles in 2025.[53]
  • 3% of New Jersey dealership advertising expenditure went to newspapers in 2024.[62]
  • 66% of vehicle shoppers considered both new and used vehicles in the 2025 Cox Automotive study.[53]
  • 6% of New Jersey dealership advertising expenditure went to radio in 2024.[62]

Digital marketing in the automotive car industry

  • 91% of surveyed car shoppers across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia used digital sources during vehicle shopping.[63]
  • 59% of vehicle buyers reported high satisfaction with AI-powered assistance in 2025.[53]
  • 42% of Millennial respondents purchased their last vehicle through an online channel.[63]
  • 40% of surveyed car shoppers across five markets used television during vehicle shopping.[63]
  • 50% of Gen Z respondents purchased their last vehicle through an online channel.[63]

Branding in the automotive car industry

  • $575.4 billion was the combined brand value of the global automobile sector in 2026.[64]
  • 24% was Bosch’s increase in auto-components brand value in 2026.[64]
  • $1 billion was Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology’s automotive brand value in 2026.[64]
  • 7% was the decline in global automobile-sector brand value in 2026.[64]
  • $62.7 billion was Toyota’s automotive brand value in 2026.[64]

Social media in the automotive car industry

  • 45% of emotion-categorized online automotive mentions expressed anger during the analyzed period.[65]
  • 60% of surveyed car buyers used social media during their vehicle-buying journey across five markets.[63]
  • 38% of car buyers referred to social-media campaigns and influencers before purchasing a new vehicle in 2024.[66]
  • 4% was the year-over-year increase in unique authors discussing cars online during the analyzed period.[65]
  • 74% of Gen Z car buyers used social media during their vehicle-buying journey across five markets.[63]

Influencer Marketing in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 277 surveyed car enthusiasts, 84% had taken at least one real-world action because of a car influencer they followed online in 2026.[67]
  • Among US Pinterest users planning to buy a car in 2024, 42% noticed sponsorship of a social-media post, such as an influencer post.[68]
  • Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 69% said creators made them more aware of vehicle brands in 2025.[69]
  • Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 61% said they trusted vehicle recommendations and reviews from creators in 2025.[69]
  • Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 63% said creators made them consider buying a vehicle brand or model in 2025.[69]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

We compare operational throughput and quality controls, including Toyota producing 9,049,063 vehicles in fiscal 2025 and reporting 1,500 inspection points.

Process optimization in the automotive car industry

  • ¥2,134.8 billion was Toyota’s capital expenditure in fiscal 2025.[70]
  • 1,500 inspection points are checked by certified Toyota quality inspectors before vehicles are shipped.[70]
  • ¥1,326.4 billion was Toyota’s research-and-development expenditure in fiscal 2025.[70]
  • 9,049,063 vehicles were produced by Toyota worldwide in fiscal 2025.[70]
  • 9.0 million vehicles were produced worldwide by Volkswagen Group, including Chinese joint ventures, in fiscal 2024, down 3.8% year on year.[28]

Operational efficiency in the automotive car industry

  • 2.45 million passenger vehicles were sold worldwide by BMW Group in 2024.[71]
  • Volkswagen Group’s productivity excluding Chinese joint ventures declined 0.8% in 2024 and remained at approximately the prior-year level.[28]
  • 383,853 people were employed by Toyota on a consolidated basis at the end of March 2025.[70]
  • 9,362,410 vehicles were sold by Toyota in fiscal 2025.[70]
  • 141,000 people were employed by Aptiv at December 31, 2024, including 110,000 hourly employees.[72]

Quality management in the automotive car industry

  • More than 17,000 safety recalls affecting more than 750 million vehicles and equipment items were overseen by NHTSA during the decade preceding its 2023 report.[73]
  • 230 problems per 100 vehicles was the 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study average for premium automotive brands.[57]
  • 4 additional problems per 100 vehicles were reported year on year in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.[57]
  • 181 problems per 100 vehicles was the 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study average for mass-market automotive brands.[57]
  • 17% was the rate at which problems increased between 90 days and three years of vehicle ownership in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.[57]

Supply chain in the automotive car industry

  • 14 North American production bases and manufacturing companies were reported by Toyota as of January 31, 2026.[70]
  • 1,267 Japan-based equipment, logistics and other suppliers were reported by Toyota for fiscal 2025.[70]
  • 1,636 non-Japanese suppliers were included in Toyota’s fiscal 2025 supplier count.[70]
  • 11,759 tier-one suppliers were reported by Toyota for fiscal 2025, including Toyota Motor Corporation and 20 overseas companies in the reporting scope.[70]
  • 16 production bases and manufacturing companies were reported by Toyota in Japan as of January 31, 2026.[70]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • 80% of U.S. automotive respondents sourced at least half of their services domestically in 2023, while 51% sourced 75%–100% domestically.[8]
  • 79% of U.S. automotive respondents were likely to add North American product or raw-material suppliers within the next 12 months in 2023.[8]
  • 66% of U.S. automotive respondents sourced at least half of their products and raw materials domestically in 2023, while 40% sourced 75% or more domestically.[8]
  • 22% of automotive procurement by dollar value is projected to come from offshore locations globally in 2025, according to automotive supply-chain executives.[74]
  • 28% of automotive procurement by dollar value came from offshore locations globally in 2023, down from 36% in 2021.[74]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

We compare pricing support and margin outcomes, including the average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price reaching $49,220 in May 2026.

Pricing strategy in the automotive car industry

  • $3,339 was the average U.S. new-vehicle incentive package in March 2025.[53]
  • 11.6% of the average U.S. electric-vehicle transaction price was represented by incentives in April 2025.[53]
  • 7.0% of the average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price was represented by sales incentives in March 2025.[53]
  • $56,120 was Tesla’s average U.S. transaction price in April 2025.[53]
  • $89,247 was the average U.S. transaction price for the Tesla Cybertruck in April 2025.[53]

Cost reduction in the automotive car industry

  • €0.9 billion of Volkswagen expenses in 2024 related to severance agreements supporting administrative-workforce reductions.[28]
  • 57.2% of Stellantis’ total research-and-development expenditure was capitalized in 2024.[75]
  • €1.5 billion per year is the planned Volkswagen labor-cost saving from the company’s wage agreement through 2030.[28]
  • Approximately $200 million in annualized cost savings are expected from Genuine Parts Company’s 2024 and 2025 restructuring actions when fully implemented in 2026.[76]
  • $885 million was Dana’s adjusted EBITDA in 2024, up from $845 million in 2023 after efficiency and cost-saving actions.[75]

Profitability in the automotive car industry

  • 4.7% was the average EBIT margin of global automotive suppliers in 2024.[77]
  • 7.4% was BMW’s 2024 Automotive EBIT margin excluding €1.3 billion of depreciation from the BBA purchase-price allocation.[78]
  • 5.84% was the average EBIT margin of 62 publicly listed automotive suppliers in the fourth quarter of 2024.[79]
  • €16.8 billion was Volkswagen Group’s earnings before tax in 2024, down €6.3 billion from 2023.[28]
  • 3.6% was the average EBIT margin of European automotive suppliers in 2024.[77]

Financial planning in the automotive car industry

  • €6.854 billion was Stellantis’ planned-or-incurred research-and-development expenditure in 2024, equal to 4.4% of net revenues.[75]
  • 6.4% was BMW Group’s research-and-development ratio in 2024.[78]
  • 62,780 people worked in Volkswagen Group research and development at December 31, 2024.[28]
  • 9.2% of Volkswagen Group’s total workforce was employed in research and development at December 31, 2024.[28]
  • €9.056 billion was BMW Group capital expenditure in 2024.[78]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

We connect product strategy to measurable R&D and end-of-life handling, including Toyota’s 97% automobile shredder residue recycling rate in Japan in 2024.

Product development in the automotive car industry

  • €9.1 billion was BMW Group capital expenditure in 2024, producing a capital-expenditure ratio of 6.4%.[71]
  • €21.0 billion was Volkswagen Group Automotive Division research and development expenditure in 2024, equal to 7.9% of Automotive Division sales revenue globally.[28]
  • 6,740 patent applications for employee inventions were filed by Volkswagen Group worldwide in 2024, mainly in driver assistance, automation, digitalization, electrification and artificial intelligence.[28]
  • €6.4 billion was Mercedes-Benz Group research and development spending in the first nine months of 2026.[80]
  • 86% of Autoliv’s 2024 research, development and engineering net expense supported projects and programs with customer orders, typically linked to vehicle models in development.[75]

Product lifecycle in the automotive car industry

  • 105,000 tons was Toyota’s automobile shredder residue processing volume in Japan in 2024.[70]
  • 503,000 vehicles were processed for appropriate end-of-life treatment and recycling by Toyota in 2022 under Japan’s End-of-life Vehicle Recycling Law.[70]
  • 4.3 million end-of-life vehicles were reported in the European Union in 2023, the lowest total recorded between 2008 and 2023.[81]
  • 97% was Toyota’s automobile shredder residue recycling rate in Japan in 2024.[70]
  • 7.7 million end-of-life vehicles were recorded in the European Union in 2009, following government-supported vehicle scrappage programs during the financial crisis.[81]

After-sales in the automotive car industry

  • 84% of U.S. dealership service customers said special discounts or coupons were helpful communications in the 2025 Cox Automotive Ownership Study.[53]
  • 57% of consumers displeased with post-purchase automotive services said they considered switching brands within six to 18 months in 2024.[13]
  • Nearly 75% of automotive consumers reported inconsistent experiences across apps, websites and in-person interactions from pre-purchase through after-sales in 2024.[13]
  • 25% of U.S. consumers reported their highest trust in the dealership where they regularly service their vehicle in Deloitte’s 2026 study.[82]
  • 46% of U.S. consumers who used AI for service-related tasks used it to identify or select a service provider in 2025.[53]

Value proposition in the automotive car industry

  • Nearly 48% of consumers said they were likely to subscribe to a vehicle or mobility service in Capgemini’s 2024 global automotive study.[13]
  • 52% of potential car buyers were uncertain or unhappy with their current automotive brand or mobility provider in Capgemini’s 2024 study.[13]
  • 70%–80% of Mercedes-Benz platform investments are planned for Top-End Vehicles and Core segment vehicles under the company’s 2025 product strategy.[80]
  • 58% of U.S. respondents cited vehicle-location data as a privacy concern in connected-vehicle systems in Deloitte’s 2026 study.[82]
  • 48% of consumers considered brand reputation a key factor in vehicle-buying decisions in Capgemini’s 2024 global automotive study.[13]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

We track environmental reporting and waste recovery metrics, including 70% of Stellantis manufacturing waste recycled in 2024.

Sustainability in the automotive car industry

  • 73.9 petajoules of energy were used by Toyota operations in fiscal 2024.[70]
  • 27.01 million electrified vehicles had been sold cumulatively by Toyota worldwide by fiscal 2024.[70]
  • 4.1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions had been cut by automotive suppliers since 2021, according to CLEPA’s reporting sample.[83]
  • More than 2 million charging points worldwide were available to BMW and MINI customers in 2024.[25]
  • 34.5 million cubic metres of water were withdrawn by Toyota operations in fiscal 2024.[70]

ESG in the automotive car industry

  • 31,080 women were employed by BMW Group at the end of 2024.[25]
  • 2.56 million tonnes of direct CO2 emissions were reported by Toyota for fiscal 2024.[70]
  • 2.87 million tonnes of energy-related indirect CO2 emissions were reported by Toyota for fiscal 2024.[70]
  • 587.46 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent Scope 3 emissions were reported by Toyota for fiscal 2024.[70]
  • 0.57 tonnes of Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions were generated per Toyota vehicle produced in 2024.[70]

Ethics in the automotive car industry

  • 15.4% of surveyed companies required suppliers to comply with their human-rights policies.[84]
  • 22 Volvo Cars disciplinary actions were taken in substantiated code-of-conduct cases in 2024.[85]
  • 0.4% of surveyed companies gave no answer when asked whether suppliers had to comply with their human-rights policies.[84]
  • 66.7% of motor-vehicle and motorcycle companies surveyed in North America had conducted human-rights due diligence.[84]
  • 53 suspected Volvo Cars code-of-conduct violations were investigated in 2024.[85]

CSR in the automotive car industry

  • 2,752 women held management-level positions at BMW Group in 2024.[25]
  • 22.3% of BMW Group employees were over 50 years old in 2024.[25]
  • 10,003 men held management-level positions at BMW Group in 2024.[25]
  • 14.7% of BMW Group employees were under 30 years old in 2024.[25]
  • 127,317 men were employed by BMW Group at the end of 2024.[25]

Circular economy in the automotive car industry

  • 86.5% of automotive-supplier production waste was recycled or recovered in 2023.[83]
  • 70% of Stellantis manufacturing waste was recycled in 2024.[27]
  • 311,344 tonnes of manufacturing waste were generated by Stellantis in 2025.[27]
  • 21,391 tonnes of end-of-life material were recovered by Stellantis in 2024.[27]
  • 89% of Stellantis end-of-life material was recycled in 2024.[27]

Carbon footprint in the automotive car industry

  • 304 g/mile was Mercedes-Benz’s average new-vehicle tailpipe CO2 emissions rate in U.S. model year 2023.[86]
  • 374 g/mile was Ford’s average new-vehicle tailpipe CO2 emissions rate in U.S. model year 2023.[86]
  • 12 g/mile was Mazda’s increase in average new-vehicle CO2 emissions between model years 2018 and 2023.[86]
  • 396 g/mile was General Motors’ average new-vehicle tailpipe CO2 emissions rate in U.S. model year 2023.[86]
  • 18 g/mile was Honda’s increase in average new-vehicle CO2 emissions between model years 2018 and 2023.[86]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

We track regional production and trade shifts, including EU passenger car production of 11.4 million units in 2024 and China’s 27 million car production.

Globalization in the automotive car industry

  • The car industry accounted for around 1% of global GDP in 2024.[1]
  • The global car market was worth about USD 2.9 trillion annually in 2024.[1]
  • 27 million cars were produced in China in 2024, 30% more than in 2019.[1]
  • Global motor-vehicle production reached 92.8 million units in 2024.[29]
  • The European Union produced 11.4 million passenger cars in 2024, equal to 15.1% of global car production.[29]

Cultural adaptation in the automotive car industry

  • 10% to 20% of European consumers were open to buying Chinese vehicles in 2025.[88]
  • About 10% of Chinese consumers intended to repurchase their current automotive brand in 2025.[88]
  • 47% of mass-market German automotive customers intended to repurchase their current brand in 2025.[88]
  • About 50% of non-battery-electric-vehicle owners intended to repurchase their current powertrain type in 2025.[88]
  • 35% to 40% of consumers in Europe and the United States intended to repurchase their current automotive brand in 2025.[88]

Supplier management in the automotive car industry

  • 25 global original-equipment-manufacturer groups were covered in the 2025 analysis of automotive supply relationships.[93]
  • Conflict-mineral and cobalt supplier reporting used both CMRT and EMRT templates in Autoneum’s 2025 supplier-management process.[94]
  • 197,000 supplier-customer edges were represented in a 2024 global automotive supply-network dataset.[95]
  • Suppliers of mining and chemical materials were identified as environmental-risk sources in Autoneum’s 2025 supplier-management disclosures.[94]
  • About 197,000 supplier-customer relationships were included in the product-annotated automotive network study published in 2024.[95]

Stakeholder management in the automotive car industry

  • USD 20 billion in tax revenue came from used-vehicle sales in the United States in 2024.[96]
  • USD 32.8 billion was spent on automotive research and development in the United States in 2024.[96]
  • USD 730 billion in worker paychecks was associated with the United States automotive industry in the Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s 2024 analysis.[96]
  • 2.5 million jobs were in European Union motor-vehicle manufacturing in 2023, representing 8.1% of EU manufacturing employment.[29]
  • 12% of United States motor-vehicle and parts jobs were in research and development in 2024.[96]

Distribution channels in the automotive car industry

  • The European Union exported motor vehicles worth EUR 178.2 billion outside the bloc in 2024.[29]
  • China held a 17.2% share of European Union new-car imports by value in 2024.[29]
  • 41% of specialty-automotive manufacturers increased direct online sales to consumers in 2023.[97]
  • 70% of United States automotive purchases closed at brick-and-mortar dealerships in 2024.[98]
  • 9,000 consumers in ten countries were surveyed about automotive purchase behavior and channel preferences in 2025.[88]

Key questions about the automotive car industry

What was the global automotive market size in 2025?
The global automotive market was valued at $2.75 trillion in 2025.
What growth outlook is provided for 2026–2033?
The forecast CAGR for 2026–2033 is 4.0%, with the market estimated to reach $3.72 trillion by 2033.
Which companies lead the automotive car industry?
BYD stands out for electrified cars because it reported RMB 803.965 billion revenue in 2025, while Toyota focuses on passenger vehicles since it reported 9.36 million vehicle sales in fiscal 2025.
What technology shifts show up most in recent vehicle innovation?
Around 50% of new cars sold globally in 2025 featured systems that automate steering and speed control, and 10% of cars sold in China in 2025 had Level 2+ automated-driving technology.
How concentrated is the industry in major regions like the EU?
In the EU in 2025, Volkswagen Group held a 27.7% share of new-car registrations, followed by Stellantis at 13.4% and Renault Group at 9.5%.
How fast are electric cars moving in adoption terms?
Global electric-car sales exceeded 20 million in 2025 and monthly sales surpassed a 50% share in 11 of 12 months.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Automotive Car Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/automotive-car-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Automotive Car Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/automotive-car-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Automotive Car Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/automotive-car-industry-statistics.

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