01 Industry overview
The car manufacturing industry at a glance
Global vehicle production reached 96.4 million units in 2025, while electric cars surpassed 20 million sales and accounted for one in four new cars worldwide.
- $2.75T[3]
- Global market size, 2025
- 96.4M[89]
- Vehicles produced, 2025
- 25%[55]
- Electric share of sales, 2025
- 33.3%[3]
- Asia-Pacific market share, 2025
- Market size
- The global automotive market was valued at $2.75 trillion in 2025, according to Grand View Research. OICA reported 96.4 million vehicles produced and 99.8 million sold worldwide in the same year.[3][89]
- Forecast & CAGR
- Grand View Research forecasts the global automotive market to grow from $2.84 trillion in 2026 to $3.72 trillion in 2033, representing a 4.0% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. PwC projects electric-vehicle sales to grow at an 11.3% CAGR from 2024 to 2030, while total automotive sales rise from approximately 91 million to 105 million units.[3][7]
- Market share & regions
- Asia-Pacific accounted for 33.3% of global automotive revenue in 2025, the largest regional share identified by Grand View Research. OICA reported that Asia-Pacific produced approximately 59.2 million vehicles in 2025, more than 61% of global output.[3][90]
- Segmentation
- Passenger vehicles represented 44.0% of global automotive revenue in 2025. The industry is also segmented by commercial vehicles, propulsion systems such as internal-combustion and electric powertrains, vehicle class, body type and sales channel.[3]
- Key players & concentration
- The market is led by large multinational automakers including Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai Motor Group, General Motors, Stellantis, Ford, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and BYD. OICA reported that China produced 30.27 million passenger cars in 2025, making it the largest passenger-car manufacturing country.[91][89]
- Pricing
- The average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price reached an estimated $50,326 in December 2025, according to Kelley Blue Book. Pricing remains influenced by vehicle mix, incentives, financing costs, supply conditions and the higher prices of SUVs, pickups and premium vehicles.[16][92]
- Trends, drivers & challenges
- Electrification is the principal structural trend: electric-car sales exceeded 20 million globally in 2025, up 20% year on year, and reached a 25% share of new-car sales. Growth is supported by falling battery costs, policy incentives and wider model availability, while manufacturers face tariff risk, supply-chain exposure, intense price competition and uneven regional EV adoption.[55][89]
- Consumer behavior & competition
- Consumers are shifting toward electric vehicles, SUVs and connected features, but affordability remains a constraint as the U.S. average new-vehicle transaction price exceeded $50,000 in late 2025. Competition is intensifying from Chinese manufacturers: Chinese automakers' global market share rose from 14% in 2020 to 25% in 2025, according to an analysis reported by Axios.[16][93]
- M&A
- Automotive M&A activity weakened in 2025: Stout recorded 485 transactions, down from 545 in 2024 and 575 in 2023, excluding deals below $50 million and above $1 billion. Activity centered on supplier consolidation, portfolio rationalization and acquisitions in electronics, powertrain, interiors and advanced driver-assistance systems.[28]
- Regulation
- In the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2019/631 sets a 15% reduction target for manufacturers' fleet-average CO2 emissions for 2025–2029 compared with the 2021 baseline. The same framework introduces a 100% emissions-reduction target for new passenger cars and vans from 2035 onward.[94]
- Latest news
- OICA said in April 2026 that global vehicle production rose 3.9% to 96.4 million units in 2025 and sales increased 4.7% to 99.8 million. Recent industry developments include the continued expansion of Chinese EV manufacturers and Toyota's November 2026 profit guidance increase as sales held up despite higher raw-material costs.[89][59]
02 Ranking
Top 10 Companies in the Car Manufacturing Industry
The leading companies in the car manufacturing industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.
Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026
BYD stands out for electric and plug-in vehicle focus because it is a major new-energy vehicle manufacturer with operations in global markets, while Toyota Motor focuses on passenger and commercial vehicles since it produced 9,049,063 vehicles in fiscal 2025.
Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓
Editor's top 3 picks
Where to start, by need.
#1 Overall · Leader in electric and plug-in vehicles
BYD
CN
Ranked #1 · 9.2 · Electric and plug-in vehicles
Why we picked it: Its electric and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles are tied to 3.5% revenue growth and 7.89% R&D intensity.
Leader in passenger and commercial vehicles
Toyota Motor
JP
Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Passenger and commercial vehicles
Why we picked it: It produces passenger and commercial vehicles at 9,049,063 units in fiscal 2025, with an operating margin of 10%.
#3 overall
General Motors
US
Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Passenger and commercial vehicles
Why we picked it: It reports $168.0 billion in 2025 automotive revenue while maintaining a 1.6% operating margin across global cars, trucks and SUVs.
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
| # | Company | Overall ↓ | Impact | Performance | Momentum | Innovation | Company snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BYD Electric and plug-in vehicles · CN | 9.2 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 9.6 | 9.9 | |
Company snapshot · BYD · Data as of November 10, 2026 BYD is a major new-energy vehicle manufacturer with operations in global markets.[95]
| |||||||
| 2 | Toyota Motor Passenger and commercial vehicles · JP | 9.1 | 9.8 | 8.9 | 9.4 | 8.1 | |
Company snapshot · Toyota Motor · Data as of November 10, 2026 Toyota produced 9,049,063 vehicles in fiscal 2025.[31]
| |||||||
| 3 | General Motors Passenger and commercial vehicles · US | 8.9 | 9.6 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 9.8 | |
Company snapshot · General Motors · Data as of November 10, 2026 GM reported $168.0 billion in 2025 automotive revenue.[76]
| |||||||
| 4 | Hyundai Motor Group Passenger and commercial vehicles · KR | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 8.9 | |
Company snapshot · Hyundai Motor Group · Data as of November 10, 2026 The Group's mobility brands include Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.[63]
| |||||||
| 5 | Chery Holding Group Electric and plug-in vehicles · CN | 8.7 | 7.8 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 7.9 | |
Company snapshot · Chery Holding Group · Data as of November 10, 2026
| |||||||
| 6 | Ford Motor Trucks, SUVs, cars and commercial vehicles · US | 8.6 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.0 | |
Company snapshot · Ford Motor · Data as of November 10, 2026 Ford reported record 2025 revenue of $187.3 billion.[64]
| |||||||
| 7 | BMW Group Premium BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles · DE | 8.5 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 8.2 | 8.5 | |
Company snapshot · BMW Group · Data as of November 10, 2026 BMW Group delivered 2,463,681 automotive vehicles in 2025.[96]
| |||||||
| 8 | Suzuki Motor Compact cars and SUVs, especially in Asia · JP | 8.4 | 7.8 | 9.0 | 9.4 | 7.4 | |
Company snapshot · Suzuki Motor · Data as of November 10, 2026
| |||||||
| 9 | Tata Motors Passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles · IN | 8.4 | 7.8 | 9.2 | 9.5 | 7.0 | |
Company snapshot · Tata Motors · Data as of November 10, 2026
| |||||||
| 10 | Stellantis Multi-brand cars, trucks and commercial vehicles · NL | 8.2 | 9.2 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 8.0 | |
Company snapshot · Stellantis · Data as of November 10, 2026 Stellantis reported €153.5 billion in 2025 net revenues.[36]
| |||||||
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 car manufacturing industry. In Car Manufacturing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-manufacturing-industry-statistics/#top-companies
Passenger car production
China leads with 27.5M units.
03 Trends & forecasts
Top 10 Car Manufacturing Industry Trends & Forecasts 2027
What is changing in the car manufacturing industry, with the evidence behind each trend and a forecast for 2027.
Forecasts were generated by an AI model from the cited evidence. They are estimates, not guarantees.
01Electric sales continue gaining share
High confidenceGlobal electric-car sales exceeded 20 million units in 2025, rising 20% year on year and reaching 25% of new-car sales. The IEA expects approximately 23 million sales and a 28% share in 2026.[55]
Forecast 2027: Global electric-car sales are likely to approach 26–28 million units in 2027, taking roughly 30–32% of new-car sales. Growth will remain strongest in China, Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America, although adoption will stay uneven in the United States and lower-income markets.
02Battery costs keep falling unevenly
High confidenceAverage battery prices declined 8% in 2025. China’s battery-pack prices were 30% below North American levels and 35% below European levels, while lithium-iron-phosphate batteries represented more than 55% of global EV battery deployment.[55]
Forecast 2027: Battery prices should decline again in 2027, but probably at a slower pace than in 2025 as consolidation, raw-material volatility and regional trade barriers limit the reduction. LFP adoption will expand further in mass-market cars and emerging economies.
03Chinese EV exports expand globally
High confidenceChina produced about 16 million electric cars in 2025, nearly 75% of global EV output. Chinese electric-car exports more than doubled to over 2.5 million units, and EVs exceeded 35% of China’s total car exports.[55]
Forecast 2027: Chinese manufacturers will continue increasing overseas production and exports in 2027, particularly in Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Europe. Tariffs, local-content rules and political scrutiny will shift some growth from direct exports toward regional assembly.
04Asia-Pacific strengthens manufacturing lead
High confidenceGlobal vehicle production reached 96.4 million units in 2025, while Asia accounted for approximately 59.2 million vehicles, or more than 61% of world output. India produced 6.49 million vehicles in fiscal 2025–26, adding to the region’s expansion.[89]
Forecast 2027: Asia-Pacific should capture most incremental global production in 2027, led by China, India and Southeast Asia. European and North American plants will remain important but are likely to focus more heavily on regional supply security, EV capacity and higher-value vehicles.
05EU production remains below peak
Medium confidenceEU vehicle production remained around 3 million units below its 2019 level in 2025. ACEA also reported that EU commercial-vehicle registrations fell 8% and truck registrations declined by about 6%.[34]
Forecast 2027: EU production is likely to recover only gradually in 2027. New EV launches and regulatory compliance will support output, but high energy costs, weaker commercial-vehicle demand and competition from lower-cost Asian producers will constrain a full return to pre-pandemic volumes.
06Hybrid powertrains gain transitional demand
High confidenceHybrid-electric vehicles represented 34.5% of EU car registrations in 2025, compared with a 17.4% share for battery-electric cars. Plug-in hybrids added another 9.4%, while petrol and diesel combined fell to 35.5%.[34]
Forecast 2027: Hybrids and plug-in hybrids should remain a major bridge technology in 2027, especially where charging infrastructure or EV affordability is limited. Their share will likely rise modestly in emerging markets even as battery-electric models take a larger share of long-term investment.
07Vehicle affordability remains constrained
Medium confidenceThe average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price reached an estimated $50,326 in December 2025. The IEA also reported that the global EV price premium narrowed in 2025 to just under 15%, but larger SUVs and battery packs continued to push vehicle prices upward.[55]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, manufacturers will increase the supply of smaller EVs, entry-level hybrids and lower-cost financing offers, but average transaction prices are unlikely to fall sharply. Product mix will continue favoring SUVs, pickups and premium vehicles, limiting affordability gains for many households.
08SUV mix continues reshaping production
High confidenceThe IEA found that the rising share of SUVs and increasing average battery sizes would have raised EV prices by roughly 3% in 2025 before battery and component-cost reductions offset the effect. SUV-heavy product strategies remain common across major manufacturers.[55]
Forecast 2027: SUVs and crossovers will remain the dominant launch categories in 2027, including among electric models. Carmakers will gradually add smaller vehicles to address affordability and regulatory pressure, but the overall production mix is unlikely to shift decisively away from larger body styles.
09Software-defined vehicles broaden
Medium confidenceAutomakers are increasingly integrating advanced driver-assistance, connected services and automated-driving functions into vehicle architectures. NHTSA states that consumer vehicles currently offer systems up to Level 2 assistance, while Level 3–5 technologies are not generally available for consumer purchase.[70]
Forecast 2027: By 2027, software-defined platforms will be standard in most new premium vehicles and increasingly common in mass-market models. Manufacturers will monetize more functions through connected services and updates, but regulatory approval, cybersecurity and customer acceptance will limit fully autonomous deployment.
10Automated braking becomes mandatory pipeline
High confidenceNHTSA finalized a rule requiring automatic emergency braking, including pedestrian emergency braking, on nearly all new U.S. passenger cars and light trucks by September 2029. The agency estimates the rule could prevent at least 24,000 injuries annually.[70]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, manufacturers will continue standardizing AEB, pedestrian detection, lane assistance and related sensor systems ahead of the U.S. compliance deadline. Safety electronics will become a larger share of vehicle content and a more important differentiator in both regulatory testing and marketing.
04 Statistics
Technology & Innovation
AI spending and production use continue to broaden: 81% of automotive chief executives cited AI as a top investment priority in 2025, and $6.4 billion is projected for the global automotive AI market in 2026.
AI in the car manufacturing industry
- 81% of automotive chief executives identified AI as a top investment priority in 2025.[1]
- 70% of automotive chief executives expected to allocate 10%–20% of their budget to AI over the following 12 months in 2025.[1]
- 18% of automotive OEM respondents used AI or machine learning in production to predict quality issues or accelerate root-cause identification in 2025.[2]
- $6.4 billion is the projected global automotive artificial-intelligence market size for 2026.[3]
- 28% of companies across the automotive value chain were conducting AI pilot projects in 2023.[4]
- 63% of automotive chief executives identified AI as a top investment priority in 2024.[1]
Automation in the car manufacturing industry
- 12% was the year-over-year increase in industrial robots operating in U.S. factories in 2023.[5]
- 33% of all U.S. industrial-robot installations were made by the automotive industry in 2023.[5]
- 900 industrial robots were installed by Spain’s automotive industry in 2024.[5]
- 40% was the approximate share of new U.S. industrial-robot installations accounted for by automotive in 2024.[5]
- 13,747 industrial robots were installed in the U.S. automotive industry in 2024.[5]
- 5% was the increase in industrial-robot installations by Spain’s automotive industry in 2024.[5]
Digital Transformation in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across automotive manufacturing, technology investment rose 35% year over year, from 23% to 31% of operating budgets, in 2024.[6]
- 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.[7]
- 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.[8]
- Across automotive, 52% of executives said continuous transformation is now the industry norm rather than a program with an end date in 2026.[8]
Technology Adoption in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across automotive manufacturing, 48% of surveyed companies were not using AI in production in 2024, while 18% used it for supplier search.[9]
- Across automotive manufacturing, 56% identified quality control as an AI application, while 45% identified process optimization and 45% robotics in 2025.[6]
- Across automotive, only 36% of AI and software initiatives had scaled beyond pilot stage and been adopted across the organization in 2026.[8]
- Across automotive, 86% of companies reported investing heavily in AI and emerging technologies in 2025.[1]
Cloud Computing in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across automotive OEMs and suppliers, 67% reported cloud spending below 1% of annual revenue in the 2022 study.[10]
- Across automotive OEMs and suppliers, 44% reported that 50%–74% of infrastructure was in the cloud in the 2022 study.[10]
- Across automotive and manufacturing organizations, 10% described themselves as cloud-evolved, the most advanced cloud-adoption category, in 2026.[11]
- 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.[12]
Big Data in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across automotive manufacturers, 76% viewed manufacturing analytics as very or extremely valuable in the 2021 smart-manufacturing survey.[13]
- Across automotive executives, 81% reported collecting connected-vehicle telemetry, while 40% had an automated pipeline linking data collection, insights, validation and deployment in 2026.[14]
- Across automotive businesses, 50.8% prioritized new or updated analytics products and decision-making tools to simplify work and processes in the reported study.[12]
- 30% of automotive survey respondents have implemented AI-supported real-time factory analytics, according to a 2025 global automotive industry survey.[15]
- 28% of automotive survey respondents have invested in predictive maintenance systems, according to a 2025 global automotive industry survey.[15]
- 36% of automotive manufacturers say industry leaders use collected data for artificial intelligence, applied AI, generative AI or machine learning, globally in 2024.[6]
05 Statistics
Data & Analytics
Data governance and end-to-end analytics show up in adoption figures, including 40% of organizations tracing the rationale behind AI-influenced engineering outcomes in 2026.
Business intelligence in the car manufacturing industry
- 83% of automotive dealerships had analysis or insights available through a dashboard or reporting tool in 2024.[16]
- 26% of automotive dealerships were highly confident in insights received from third-party vendors in 2024.[16]
- 49.5% of midsize automotive companies identified analytics tools as a top-three technology for supporting business growth.[12]
- 48.0% of midsize automotive companies identified AI-enabled more accurate decision-making as a top priority.[12]
- 45% of automotive dealerships were highly satisfied with insights from dedicated dealership data-analysis staff in 2024.[16]
- 48.0% of midsize automotive companies identified AI-enabled supply-chain and logistics optimization as a top priority.[12]
Data analytics in the car manufacturing industry
- Approximately 55% of automotive supply-chain respondents could integrate third-party data and analytics solutions in 2023.[17]
- 81% of automotive organizations collected connected-vehicle telemetry in a 2026 executive survey.[14]
- 55% of automotive supply-chain respondents had access to real-time data for decision-making in 2023.[17]
- 41% of automotive organizations could trace the data, assumptions and rationale behind an AI-influenced engineering outcome in 2026.[14]
- 24% of automotive software organizations reported extensive AI or machine-learning integration into vehicle-product design in 2025.[18]
- 71% of automotive software organizations reported that AI or machine learning affected vehicle-product design in a 2025 survey.[18]
Data Quality in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- 55% of tier-one and tier-two automotive suppliers still conduct capability studies in Excel, based on a 2021 survey of 215 suppliers.[19]
- 68% of automotive respondents identify data and technology adoption as a priority, according to Hexagon’s 2025 advanced manufacturing survey.[20]
- 5% of automotive firms fully use 76–100% of their collected data, according to the 2025 global automotive manufacturing survey.[6]
- 57% of automotive quality leaders estimate total quality costs exceed 5% of revenue, based on a 2026 survey of 65 leaders.[21]
- 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.[19]
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.[8]
- 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.[14]
- 67% of automotive OEMs report to the board on customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[8]
- 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.[14]
- 84% of automotive OEMs use a cross-functional steering committee to govern customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[8]
- 78% of automotive OEMs use metrics and KPIs to govern customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[8]
KPIs in the car manufacturing industry
- 61.2% was the average availability increase reported across four automotive manufacturing processes after extended warehouse-management implementation.[22]
- 75% of automotive executives surveyed said the software-defined experience would be central to brand value by 2035.[23]
- 94% was the measured performance level for process two in a 2023 automotive OEM manufacturing case study.[22]
- 97% of surveyed automotive companies said lost engineering productivity caused significant business costs, including missed deadlines and higher costs.[24]
- 96% was the measured performance level for process one in a 2023 automotive OEM manufacturing case study.[22]
- 5 percentage points was the reported increase in quality level after six months of implementation in an automotive manufacturing case study.[22]
06 Statistics
Strategy & Growth
Model and powertrain mix changes track electrification and scale, with global vehicle production rising 3.9% to 96.4 million in 2025 and electric sales reaching a 25% share of new cars.
Growth in the car manufacturing industry
- 8,678,334 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles were delivered by Volkswagen Group worldwide in 2025.[25]
- 3,265,898 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles were delivered by Volkswagen Group in Western Europe in 2025, up 3.9% year on year.[25]
- 30 new models were launched by Volkswagen Group in 2025 as part of its product campaign.[25]
- 428,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles were delivered by Volkswagen Group worldwide in 2025, approximately 58% more than in 2024.[26]
- 742,800 Volkswagen Group battery-electric vehicles were delivered in Europe in 2025, up 65.9% year on year.[26]
- More than 20 new models were planned by Volkswagen Group for launch in 2026.[26]
Differentiation in the car manufacturing industry
- 146,007 Ford Bronco vehicles were sold in the United States in 2025, a record annual volume up 33.7%.[27]
- 828,832 Ford F-Series trucks were sold in the United States in 2025, securing the model’s 49th consecutive year as America’s best-selling truck.[27]
- 10.9% of Volkswagen Group deliveries were battery-electric vehicles in 2025, compared with 8.2% in 2024.[25]
- 11.5% of Volkswagen Group deliveries in the United States were all-electric vehicles in 2025, compared with 6.8% in 2024.[25]
- 155,051 Ford Maverick pickups were sold in the United States in 2025, an 18.2% annual increase.[27]
- 21.3% of Volkswagen Group deliveries in Western Europe were all-electric vehicles in 2025, compared with 13.4% in 2024.[25]
Mergers and acquisitions in the car manufacturing industry
- 255 automotive M&A transactions were recorded in the second half of 2025 in the Stout dataset.[28]
- 87 cross-border automotive M&A transactions were recorded in the second half of 2025 in the Stout dataset.[28]
- 575 automotive M&A transactions were recorded globally in 2023 in the Stout dataset.[28]
- 431 privately held automotive companies were sellers in 2025 automotive M&A transactions in the Stout dataset.[28]
- 172 domestic automotive M&A transactions were recorded in 2025 in the Stout dataset.[28]
- 161 international automotive M&A transactions were recorded in 2025 in the Stout dataset.[28]
Strategic partnerships in the car manufacturing industry
- 2027 was the expected initial production year for two new-energy Peugeot models under the strengthened Stellantis–Dongfeng partnership.[29]
- 51% was Stellantis’ planned ownership of its proposed European joint venture with Dongfeng.[29]
- 300 dealerships were expected to be covered by Pinewood Technologies’ North American automotive software joint venture arrangement.[30]
- 3 million vehicles was Toyota’s planned annual production capacity in Japan after establishing a new vehicle manufacturing plant in Aichi Prefecture.[31]
- €60 billion was the investment amount identified in Stellantis’ strategic plan to accelerate growth and profit while expanding partnerships.[29]
- 5 years was the rollout contract period reported for Pinewood Technologies’ North American automotive software joint venture.[30]
07 Statistics
People & Workforce
Workforce planning and learning remain active levers, including over 19,000 GM employees logging learning hours across more than 11,700 skills-based courses in 2024.
Hiring in the car manufacturing industry
- Approximately 90 new skilled-trades apprentices were placed across GM’s U.S. manufacturing footprint in April 2026.[32]
- Nearly 900 net new hires were planned for Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in the United States in 2024.[27]
- GM hired graduates from more than 230 colleges and universities in its 2024 graduate cohort.[33]
- 56,500 hourly autoworkers were employed by Ford in the United States at year-end 2024.[27]
- 2.4 million direct automotive manufacturing jobs existed across the European Union in 2022.[34]
Employee retention in the car manufacturing industry
- 112,091 people worked at Volkswagen AG sites at December 31, 2024, excluding subsidiaries.[35]
- 22,945 Volkswagen Group employees had temporary contracts at December 31, 2024.[35]
- 591,137 Volkswagen Group employees had permanent contracts at December 31, 2024.[35]
- 71% of Stellantis employees participated in its annual global employee survey in 2024.[36]
- 7,180 Volkswagen AG employees were in the passive phase of partial retirement in 2024.[35]
Remote Work in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across automotive and other transportation companies, 63% said in 2024 that they were mandating employees return to the workplace.[37]
- Across global automotive companies, 2% of corporate employees worked fully remotely in 2024, according to a survey of 120 automotive CEOs.[1]
- Across automotive and other transportation companies, 61% said in 2024 that they were seeking more remote workers in low-cost-of-living areas.[37]
- Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 3.4% of positions were fully remote in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[38]
Hybrid Work in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 32.6% of positions were fully hybrid in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[38]
- Across global automotive companies, 3% of corporate employees worked in hybrid arrangements in 2024, according to a survey of 120 automotive CEOs.[1]
- Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 64% of positions were fully in-person in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[38]
- Across global automotive companies, 96% of corporate employees worked in-office in 2024, leaving 4% in fully remote or hybrid arrangements.[1]
Upskilling in the car manufacturing industry
- 20.8 average training hours per employee were reported across the Volkswagen Group in 2024.[35]
- 7.07 training hours per employee were recorded for Stellantis top management and senior leadership in 2024.[36]
- 14.98 training hours per employee were recorded for Stellantis white-collar employees in 2024.[36]
- 12% of Stellantis technical-engineering employees participated in reskilling or upskilling in 2024.[36]
- Over 19,000 GM employees logged learning hours across more than 11,700 skills-based courses in 2024.[33]
Employee Engagement in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 70% of surveyed employees were satisfied or very satisfied with their job in 2025.[39]
- Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 60% of surveyed employees intended to still work for their current company two years later in 2025.[39]
- Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 70% of surveyed employees said they were empowered to make decisions at work in 2025.[39]
- Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 73% of surveyed employees said their work was purposeful in 2025.[39]
- Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 79% of 312 surveyed employees said they felt respected and valued by colleagues, teammates, or peers in 2025.[39]
08 Statistics
Customer & Sales
Shopping shifts toward digital assistance: 25% of U.S. new-vehicle buyers used AI tools during the shopping process in 2025, while 60% EV replacement loyalty is reported from late 2025 through mid-2026.
Customer experience in the car manufacturing industry
- 25% of U.S. new-vehicle buyers used AI tools during the shopping process in 2025.[16]
- 75% of U.S. vehicle buyers were highly satisfied with their shopping experience in 2024, an all-time high in Cox Automotive’s nine-year series.[16]
- 79% of U.S. car buyers were satisfied with their overall car-buying experience in 2024.[41]
- 63% of U.S. vehicle buyers said an omnichannel retail experience combining online and in-person activities was ideal in 2025.[16]
- 84% of mostly digital U.S. vehicle buyers who used AI assistants were highly satisfied with the overall buying process in 2025.[16]
Customer retention in the car manufacturing industry
- 60% was the EV replacement loyalty rate in the United States from late 2025 through mid-2026.[42]
- 55.9% was Tesla’s U.S. brand-loyalty rate in 2025.[42]
- 63.9% was Tesla’s U.S. brand-loyalty rate during the first half of 2026.[42]
- 53.4% was new-vehicle brand loyalty in the United States during the first half of 2026.[42]
- 51.4% was the U.S. vehicle-brand loyalty rate in 2025, according to LexisNexis Risk Solutions.[42]
Customer acquisition in the car manufacturing industry
- 16.5 hours was the average time independent-dealership buyers spent researching vehicles online before purchase in the United States during 2024–2025.[16]
- More than five websites were visited by U.S. independent-dealership buyers during their vehicle-shopping journey in 2024–2025.[16]
- 83% of U.S. car buyers wanted to complete more of the shopping process from home in 2025.[41]
- 83% of U.S. independent-dealership buyers began shopping without knowing exactly which vehicle they wanted during 2024–2025.[16]
- 86% was the year-over-year growth in financing-related CarGurus leads in 2025.[41]
Customer loyalty in the car manufacturing industry
- 60.1% was Toyota’s U.S. hybrid-owner loyalty rate in 2025.[42]
- 51.0% was overall U.S. automotive brand loyalty in 2023.[43]
- 55.4% was Tesla’s U.S. brand-loyalty rate at the end of 2025.[42]
- 48.8% was luxury-brand loyalty in the United States from July 2025 through June 2026.[44]
- 59.7% was Tesla’s U.S. brand-loyalty rate in 2024.[42]
Lead generation in the car manufacturing industry
- 2.6% was the visitor-to-lead conversion rate across more than 63 million U.S. dealership website visitors in 2023.[45]
- 12.4% of qualified U.S. dealership leads were never logged to the CRM in 2023.[45]
- 70% of CarGurus Digital Deal leads represented high-value actions in 2025.[41]
- 78% was the year-over-year increase in high-value CarGurus Digital Deal leads in 2025.[41]
- 33% of U.S. buyers obtained an online trade-in offer in 2025.[16]
09 Statistics
Marketing & Brand
Advertising mix is moving to connected TV and local digital, with a 2026 U.S. CTV/OTT spend forecast of $143.1 million for Tier 1 automotive manufacturers.
Marketing in the car manufacturing industry
- $143.1 million was the 2026 U.S. CTV/OTT advertising spend forecast for Tier 1 automotive manufacturers.[46]
- $3.6 billion was forecast for 2026 U.S. local advertising by Tier 1 automotive manufacturers (OEMs).[46]
- $874 million was the 2024 U.S. local PC and laptop advertising spend forecast for Tier 1 automotive manufacturers.[47]
- -0.5% was the forecast 2025–2028 compound annual growth rate for U.S. Tier 1 automotive-manufacturer advertising.[46]
- $130.9 million was the 2025 U.S. CTV/OTT advertising spend forecast for Tier 1 automotive manufacturers.[46]
Digital marketing in the car manufacturing industry
- -4.6% was the forecast 2025–2028 compound annual growth rate for traditional advertising by U.S. Tier 1 automotive manufacturers.[46]
- 90% of U.S. car shoppers used content to research a new vehicle in the 2024 Cox Automotive GfK Content Influence Study.[16]
- 39.1% of Tier 1 automotive manufacturers’ 2024 U.S. digital advertising was forecast to use local search.[47]
- 60.5% of Tier 1 automotive manufacturers’ 2026 U.S. local advertising was forecast to use digital media.[46]
- 29.3% of Tier 1 automotive manufacturers’ 2024 U.S. digital advertising was forecast to use local video.[47]
Branding in the car manufacturing industry
- $8.559 billion was Honda’s 2024 global automotive brand value in Kantar’s ranking.[48]
- $22.798 billion was Mercedes-Benz’s 2024 global automotive brand value in Kantar’s ranking.[48]
- $14.4 billion was Ferrari’s 2025 global automotive brand value, up 36% from the prior year.[49]
- $10.429 billion was Ferrari’s 2024 global automotive brand value in Kantar’s ranking.[48]
- $10.054 billion was BYD’s 2024 global automotive brand value in Kantar’s ranking.[48]
Influencer Marketing in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- Among US Pinterest users planning to buy a car in 2024, 42% noticed sponsorship of a social-media post, such as an influencer post.[52]
- Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 61% said they trusted vehicle recommendations and reviews from creators in 2025.[53]
- Among 277 surveyed car enthusiasts, 84% had taken at least one real-world action because of a car influencer they followed online in 2026.[54]
- Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 69% said creators made them more aware of vehicle brands in 2025.[53]
- Among US Pinterest users planning to buy a car in 2024, 44% noticed sponsorship of user-generated content, such as a YouTube video or podcast.[52]
10 Statistics
Operations & Execution
Manufacturing and supply execution continues to reflect battery and recall exposure, including 3.8 million Ford recalls involving rearview cameras or image-processing modules in 2025.
Process optimization in the car manufacturing industry
- 50% was the approximate premium of European and United States battery-production costs over China’s costs without public support in 2025.[55]
- 10% was the increase in European Union battery-manufacturing capacity during 2024.[55]
- 5 years or more can be required for most new battery facilities to approach nominal output after operations begin.[55]
- 50% was the approximate increase in United States battery-manufacturing capacity during 2024.[55]
- 10% is Mercedes-Benz Group’s planned reduction in production costs by 2027 compared with 2024 levels.[56]
Operational efficiency in the car manufacturing industry
- €91.8 billion was BMW Group’s purchase volume in 2024.[57]
- 2,513,830 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce automobiles were manufactured in BMW Group’s global production network in 2024.[57]
- 2.4 million passenger cars and vans were sold by Mercedes-Benz in 2024.[56]
- €415 million was invested by BMW Group in employee vocational and further training during 2024.[57]
- 400,000 vehicles is the planned production capacity at Mercedes-Benz’s Kecskemét plant in Hungary.[58]
Quality management in the car manufacturing industry
- 3.8 million vehicles were covered by Ford recalls involving rearview cameras or image-processing modules in 2025.[40]
- 14 positions was Ford’s improvement in J.D. Power’s vehicle-service quality ranking for 2024 models.[40]
- 15 years is the extended warranty period Ford announced for up to approximately 14.9 million vehicles with affected rearview cameras in 2025.[40]
- 6 quality-specific action areas were completed by Volkswagen Group during fiscal 2024.[35]
- $10.6 billion was General Motors’ product-warranty and recall-campaign liability at December 31, 2024.[40]
Supply chain in the car manufacturing industry
- More than 80% of global battery-cell production came from China in 2025.[55]
- 70% of global electric-car production came from China in 2025.[55]
- 5 battery suppliers and 146 upstream suppliers had been mapped by Ford in its battery supply chain.[27]
- 85% of global cathode-active-material production was located in China in 2025.[55]
- 30 production sites across four continents comprised Mercedes-Benz’s production network in 2024.[56]
Outsourcing / Offshoring in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- 79% of U.S. automotive respondents were likely to add North American product or raw-material suppliers within the next 12 months in 2023.[9]
- 36% of automotive procurement by dollar value came from offshore locations globally in 2021, according to a survey of 592 supply-chain professionals.[17]
- 28% of automotive procurement by dollar value came from offshore locations globally in 2023, down from 36% in 2021.[17]
- 22% of automotive procurement by dollar value is projected to come from offshore locations globally in 2025, according to automotive supply-chain executives.[17]
- 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.[9]
11 Statistics
Finance & Pricing
Pricing and margin differences are still material, including $46,258 average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price at the end of 2024 and operating margins ranging from 1.6% to 7.6% among large automakers.
Pricing strategy in the car manufacturing industry
- 2.6% below MSRP was the average transaction price for U.S. vehicles priced between $30,000 and $40,000 in April 2024.[59]
- $46,258 was the average U.S. new-vehicle transaction price at the end of 2024, reflecting manufacturers’ pricing and product-mix strategies.[60]
- Just over 1% was the year-over-year increase in U.S. new-vehicle transaction prices in December 2024.[16]
- $2,500 to $5,500 were the reductions applied to selected 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning MSRPs as Ford adjusted EV pricing.[59]
- 8% was the U.S. electric-vehicle market share in the fourth quarter of 2024, influencing automakers’ pricing and incentive decisions.[60]
Cost reduction in the car manufacturing industry
- ¥30 billion was Nissan’s targeted saving from development efficiencies in fiscal 2026.[61]
- ¥200 billion was Nissan’s fiscal-2026 target for reducing selling, general and administrative costs.[61]
- ¥100 billion was Nissan’s targeted saving from restructuring its manufacturing base in fiscal 2026.[61]
- $300 million was General Motors’ 2024 reduction in material and freight costs.[62]
- 1 million units was Nissan’s planned reduction in global production capacity, from 5 million to 4 million units by fiscal 2026.[61]
Profitability in the car manufacturing industry
- 10.2% was Mercedes-Benz Vans’ adjusted return on sales in 2025.[56]
- ¥11.47 trillion was Hyundai Motor’s operating profit in 2025.[63]
- 15.9% was Volkswagen Automotive Division’s gross margin in 2025, compared with 18.3% in 2024.[25]
- €8.9 billion was Volkswagen Group’s 2025 operating result, 53% below 2024.[26]
- 2.8% was Volkswagen Group’s operating margin in 2025, down from 5.9% in 2024.[26]
Financial planning in the car manufacturing industry
- €6.4 billion was Volkswagen Automotive Division’s net cash flow in 2025, up 24% from 2024.[26]
- €18.4 billion was Volkswagen Group’s research-and-development expense recognized in profit or loss in 2025.[25]
- $50 billion was Ford’s total liquidity at the end of 2025.[64]
- ¥500 billion was Nissan’s cost-reduction target under its Re:Nissan plan, including fixed and variable costs.[61]
- €11.8 billion was Volkswagen Group’s automotive investment ratio in 2025, equal to 11.8% of sales revenue.[25]
12 Statistics
Product & Service
Product development concentrates on larger electric-car segments, where 70% of global electric-car sales in 2025 were large cars and SUVs.
Product development in the car manufacturing industry
- About 70% of global electric-car sales in 2025 were large cars and SUVs, concentrating product development in larger vehicle segments.[55]
- 70% of global electric-car production was located in China in 2025, reinforcing the country’s role in vehicle product development and manufacturing.[55]
- 86% of Autoliv’s 2024 research, development and engineering expense supported projects with customer orders, typically tied to vehicle models in development worldwide.[40]
- Almost €4.2 billion was BMW Group research and development expenditure during the first half of 2024 worldwide.[65]
- ¥1,202.3 billion was Toyota’s research and development expenditure in fiscal 2024, equal to 2.7% of sales revenue worldwide.[31]
Product lifecycle in the car manufacturing industry
- 44 million electric cars were estimated to be on Chinese roads at the end of 2025, representing about 13% of China’s total car stock.[55]
- 70% of vehicles on European roads were more than four years old in 2024, placing most of the regional parc in mature lifecycle stages.[66]
- More than 85% of global electric-vehicle battery-recycling capacity was located in China in 2025.[55]
- 12.9 years was the average age of passenger cars in Europe in 2024, indicating a long in-use phase for the installed vehicle base.[67]
- 1.3 times higher lifecycle emissions were associated with a medium-sized gasoline car than with a battery-electric car in South Africa in 2025.[55]
After-sales in the car manufacturing industry
- €53.3 billion was the projected 2024 original-equipment-service aftermarket value across seven representative European markets.[68]
- 65% was the projected independent aftermarket share of the 2024 European maintenance, repair and collision-repair market in the Berylls baseline scenario.[68]
- 6.3% was the 2024 increase in Italy’s electrical and electronic aftermarket component revenue.[69]
- 195 million vehicles more than four years old were on European roads in 2023, representing about 70% of the regional vehicle parc.[66]
- €96.9 billion was the projected 2024 independent aftermarket value across seven representative European markets.[68]
Value proposition in the car manufacturing industry
- 28% of car sales in Europe were electric in 2025, following a more than 30% increase in electric-car sales from 2024.[55]
- Nearly 8% of global battery-electric-car sales in 2025 were Tesla Model Y vehicles, making it the leading individual model by global sales share.[55]
- Almost 75% of electric cars produced globally in 2025 were manufactured in China, supporting China’s cost and supply-chain value proposition.[55]
- 25% of new cars sold worldwide were electric in 2025, strengthening the value proposition of lower-emission vehicle technology.[55]
- More than 2.5 million Chinese electric cars were exported in 2025, as manufacturers pursued higher profits in overseas markets.[55]
13 Statistics
Sustainability & Ethics
Operational sustainability metrics remain measurable, including Volkswagen Group’s 62.8% reduction in CO₂ emissions per vehicle produced between 2010 and 2024.
Sustainability in the car manufacturing industry
- 75% was Mercedes-Benz’s reduction in carbon emissions in 2024 worldwide.[56]
- 62.8% was Volkswagen Group’s reduction in CO₂ emissions per vehicle produced between 2010 and 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 67.5% was Volkswagen Group’s reduction in volatile organic compound emissions per vehicle produced between 2010 and 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 79.4% was Volkswagen Group’s reduction in waste per vehicle produced between 2010 and 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 27.1% was Volkswagen Group’s reduction in water consumption per vehicle produced between 2010 and 2024 worldwide.[35]
ESG in the car manufacturing industry
- 0.70 million cubic metres was Volkswagen AG’s total water consumption in 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 7.4 was Volkswagen AG’s lost-time injury frequency rate in 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 112,091 employees were reported by Volkswagen AG at December 31, 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 12.5 was Volkswagen AG’s total recordable injury rate in 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 18.9% of Volkswagen AG’s workforce were women in 2024 worldwide.[35]
Ethics in the car manufacturing industry
- 10,819 recordable work-related accidents were reported by Volkswagen Group employees in 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 261,707 Volkswagen Group employees held a valid Code of Conduct qualification at the end of fiscal 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 95.1% of relevant Porsche employees completed the digital Code of Conduct module in fiscal 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 11.7 was Volkswagen Group’s total recordable injury rate in 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 2023 was the year Toyota’s Code of Conduct was revised with added anti-bribery, anti-corruption and human-rights content worldwide.[31]
CSR in the car manufacturing industry
- 5 consecutive years was Toyota’s run of Gold recognition in Japan’s PRIDE INDEX through 2025.[31]
- 2022 was the year Toyota’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions targets were validated and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.[31]
- 14 Toyota Code of Conduct languages were reported as covering approximately 98% of employees’ native languages worldwide.[31]
- 2023 was the year Toyota drew up its Global Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy.[31]
- 2020 was the year Toyota established its Sustainability Fundamental Policy worldwide.[31]
Circular economy in the car manufacturing industry
- 142,988 metric tons was Audi Group’s total waste excluding scrap in 2024 worldwide.[26]
- 95% is the minimum vehicle-weight share required to be reusable or recyclable when reuse and recovery are combined under the European framework cited by Porsche.[26]
- 187,841 metric tons was Audi Group’s recyclable waste excluding scrap in 2022 worldwide.[26]
- 100% of BMW iX3 secondary yarn material was used for its textile seat covers in the reported vehicle specification.[65]
- 5,197 metric tons was Audi Group’s disposable waste excluding scrap in 2022 worldwide.[26]
Carbon footprint in the car manufacturing industry
- 327,861 metric tons of CO₂e were Volkswagen Group’s 2024 employee-commuting emissions worldwide.[35]
- 0.09 million metric tons of CO₂e were Volkswagen AG’s market-based Scope 2 emissions in 2024 worldwide.[35]
- 136,675 metric tons of CO₂e were Volkswagen Group’s 2024 upstream-leased-asset emissions worldwide.[35]
- 1,276,726 metric tons of CO₂e were Volkswagen Group’s 2024 Scope 3 Category 5 waste emissions worldwide.[35]
- 296,904,121 metric tons of CO₂e were Volkswagen Group’s 2024 Scope 3 Category 11 emissions from use of sold products worldwide.[35]
14 Statistics
Risk, Compliance & Legal
Risk controls follow data and cyber concerns, with 64% of automotive executives concerned about cybersecurity and data-privacy risks from expanding supplier and technology-partner networks in 2025.
Compliance in the car manufacturing industry
- 895 vehicle recalls were recorded in the United States in 2023, involving approximately 34.1 million vehicles.[70]
- 100% of Geely Automobile employees participated in information-security and privacy-compliance training in 2024.[71]
- $165 million was the civil penalty imposed on Ford in 2024 for untimely recalls and inaccurate or incomplete recall reporting.[70]
- 891 vehicle recalls were recorded in the United States in 2025, involving approximately 28.8 million vehicles.[70]
- 19,324 Porsche employees completed the Code of Conduct digital training module in 2024, representing 95.1% of relevant employees.[35]
Risk Management in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- 35% of automotive companies surveyed used manual or static tools to collect vendor data regularly in 2022, globally.[72]
- 35% of automotive companies surveyed reported low risk visibility and ad-hoc manual communication with customers and suppliers in 2022, globally.[72]
- 30% of automotive companies surveyed had two-way supplier communication through a digital or real-time application in 2022, globally.[72]
- 15% of automotive companies surveyed had advanced analytics capabilities to continually monitor and evaluate supply-chain risks in 2022, globally.[72]
Cybersecurity in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- 64% of automotive executives surveyed were concerned about cybersecurity and data-privacy risks from expanding supplier and technology-partner networks in 2025, globally.[1]
- 83% of automotive organizations surveyed said they were well prepared to add cybersecurity protection mechanisms to in-vehicle systems in 2025, globally.[14]
- 91% of automotive organizations surveyed were providing or planning security-related firmware-over-the-air updates within five years in 2025, globally.[14]
- 74% of automotive organizations surveyed said AI in cybersecurity was a significant part of their software-driven strategy in 2025, globally.[14]
Data Privacy in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- 96% of automotive organizations surveyed conducted internal and external reviews of customer vehicle-data controls in 2024, globally.[8]
- 87% of surveyed drivers said automakers should delete their data upon request in 2023, United States.[73]
- 71% of surveyed drivers said they would buy a car with less technology to protect their privacy in 2023, United States.[74]
- 72% of surveyed drivers were uncomfortable with automakers sharing their data with third parties in 2023, United States.[74]
Crisis Management in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)
- 70% of automotive companies surveyed lacked an adequate disruption-response playbook or quickly activated crisis-response team in 2022, globally.[72]
- 80% of companies surveyed across industries were classified as reactive and unprepared to quickly address disruptions in 2022; automotive respondents were all reactive, globally.[72]
- 76% of surveyed executives lacked confidence in their organizations’ crisis readiness in 2024, across 21 industries and seven countries.[75]
- 30% of automotive companies surveyed identified critical subcategories and deployed risk-based multisourcing and rapid-recovery plans in 2022, globally.[72]
Governance in the car manufacturing industry
- 31% of General Motors directors identified as racially or ethnically diverse in 2022.[76]
- 20% of Toyota’s directors were women as of June 2025, representing 2 of 10 directors.[77]
- 50% of Aston Martin Lagonda board positions not nominated by shareholders were held by women in 2023.[78]
- 97.6% was Kia’s board attendance rate in 2023.[79]
- 50% of General Motors board committees were chaired by women in 2022.[76]
15 Statistics
Globalization & Expansion
Manufacturing footprint shifts across markets, including 6.01 million vehicles produced in India in 2024 and 4.20 million in Mexico in 2024.
Globalization in the car manufacturing industry
- 4.20 million vehicles were produced in Mexico in 2024, up 5% from 2023.[80]
- 6.01 million vehicles were produced in India in 2024, up 3% from 2023.[80]
- The car industry accounted for around 6% of global manufacturing gross value added in 2024.[55]
- 54.9 million vehicles were produced in the Asia-Oceania region in 2024.[80]
- 1.20 million vehicles were produced in Indonesia in 2024, down 14% from 2023.[80]
Cultural adaptation in the car manufacturing industry
- The United States’ battery-electric vehicle market share was approximately 8% in 2024.[72]
- Škoda vehicles manufactured in Pune were tailored to the specific needs of India’s local market in 2024.[81]
- Over one in five new car registrations in Europe were electric in 2023.[55]
- China accounted for nearly two-thirds of global electric-car sales in 2024, with more than 11 million electric cars sold.[55]
- About 65% of European Union OEM electric-car sales occurred within Europe in 2024.[55]
Supplier management in the car manufacturing industry
- Volkswagen completed 85 supplier sustainability-rating audits in 2024.[25]
- Volkswagen recorded 213 supply-chain grievance reports in 2024.[25]
- Volkswagen had more than 66,000 direct suppliers in 95 countries in 2024.[25]
- Volkswagen had 19,094 direct suppliers with completed sustainability self-assessment questionnaires in 2024.[25]
- Kongsberg Automotive had 1,475 direct-material suppliers in 38 countries in 2024.[82]
Stakeholder management in the car manufacturing industry
- Ford employed 87,000 people in the United States in 2024.[83]
- Adient completed more than 1,500 continuous-improvement projects in fiscal 2024.[84]
- Approximately 25% of Volkswagen’s reported community projects in 2024 had potential national-level impact.[35]
- Adient operated more than 200 manufacturing and assembly plants worldwide in fiscal 2024.[84]
- Adient had more than 70,000 employees in 29 countries in fiscal 2024.[84]
Distribution channels in the car manufacturing industry
- Ford-Lincoln combined had 503 dealerships worldwide at December 31, 2023.[78]
- Toyota operated 20 distributors in Asia excluding China as of March 31, 2026.[82]
- Ford vehicles were distributed through 9,527 dealerships worldwide at December 31, 2023.[78]
- Toyota operated 55 distributors in Europe as of March 31, 2026.[82]
- Ford had 8,639 Ford-brand dealerships worldwide at December 31, 2023.[78]
16 Statistics
Regional markets
Regional demand mixes differ, with Australia reporting 8.3% of light-vehicle sales as battery-electric vehicles in 2025 and 60.7% as SUVs.
The car manufacturing industry in Australia
- Almost 318,000 people worked in Australia’s automotive industry in 2024, which had projected revenue above A$180 billion in 2024–25.[85]
- 8.3% of Australian light-vehicle sales were battery-electric vehicles in 2025, while plug-in hybrids accounted for 4.2% and hybrids for 23.6%.[86]
- 60.7% of Australian light-vehicle sales were SUVs in 2025, compared with 22.6% for light commercial vehicles and 13.0% for passenger vehicles.[86]
- More than 1.2 million light vehicles were sold in Australia in 2025 across more than 400 models supplied by over 60 brands.[86]
The car manufacturing industry in China
- 34.400 million automobiles were sold in China in 2025, an increase of 9.4% from 2024.[87]
- 34.531 million automobiles were produced in China in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 10.4%.[87]
- 27.302 million automobiles were sold in China’s domestic market in 2025, up 6.7% year on year.[87]
- 7.098 million automobiles were exported from China in 2025, representing year-on-year growth of 21.1%.[87]
- 31.282 million automobiles were produced in China in 2024, while sales reached 31.436 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.[88]
Key questions about the car manufacturing industry
How big is the global car manufacturing market in 2025?
What is the outlook for market growth after 2025?
Which companies lead the car manufacturing industry?
What technology shifts are shaping automotive manufacturing in the near term?
How concentrated is production geographically for vehicles and EVs?
How are pricing and affordability constraints affecting demand in the U.S.?
Cite This Report
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Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Car Manufacturing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-manufacturing-industry-statistics
Samuel Norberg. "Car Manufacturing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/car-manufacturing-industry-statistics.
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Car Manufacturing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/car-manufacturing-industry-statistics.
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Social media in the car manufacturing industry