China on track to build more electric cars than the rest of the world combined – report

China is currently building more electric vehicle factories than the rest of the world combined, according to a new report from The New York Times. Furthermore, the country is now home to more than 80 individual brands building zero-emission cars.

LMC Automotive – a high-profile industry analyst – claims by 2028 China will manufacture “more than” eight million electric cars per annum, despite the fact it only just eclipsed the one-million mark in 2020.

For reference, Europe is reportedly on track to build no more than 5.7 million fully-electric cars in 2028, and the US is not expected to exceed 1.4 million.

While the expansive local industry operates largely to service a thriving domestic market (comprising approximately 1.398 billion people), Chinese manufacturers are increasingly looking overseas for new buyers.

Last month Chinese cars in Australia outsold those built in the USA and Germany for the fourth month in a row, while MG (owned by SAIC Motor) broke into the top-ten best-selling manufacturer list – though the vast majority of these Chinese vehicles were driven by petrol or diesel engines.

GWM Haval and LDV also currently sell vehicles Down Under, while BYD claims it will launch a “sub-$35,000” electric car next year (shown below) in a move the local distributor insists will "completely change the local automotive landscape."

It's not just Chinese companies that build cars in the country either – many major international brands currently manufacture at least one model in China, and Tesla (with its Model 3), Volvo (with its XC40 and XC60), and BMW (with its iX3, slated for launch here later this year) currently offer Chinese-built models bound for Australia.