Defying Tariffs, China Extends Lead Over Japan In Vehicle Exports

Defying Tariffs, China Extends Lead Over Japan In Vehicle Exports

The automotive export figures released at the close of October 2024 indicate that China has increased its lead over Japan, defying tariffs. After achieving a lead in 2023, China expanded its export gap throughout 2024 by meeting international standards and by addressing key market opportunities.

Capturing much attention, China’s automotive exports have given the Asian country a significant lead over Japan, which held the title of the world's largest vehicle exporter for nearly five decades until last year.

China exported 5.22 million vehicles in 2023, out numbering Japan’s vehicle exports at 4.42 million units. Between January 2024 and September 2024, China exported 4.7 million units. Japan, on the other hand, shipped 3.06 million units.

While Japan’s vehicle exports declined by four percent in the period between January 2024 and September 2024, China’s vehicle exports grew by a good 26.7 percent year-on-year.

The factors that are said to have contributed to a rise in vehicle exports by China are an outlook for new opportunities the world over against a saturating domestic market. The other reason is the significant uptick in electric vehicle adoption at 38.6 percent.

Chinese companies like BYD have found a strong hold in export markets of Europe despite tariffs. This Chinese electric vehicle company has smartly moved up in valuation as compared to Tesla of USA.

Increasingly aligning with international demand, Chinese vehicular exports have come to include competitively priced SUVs and technologically advanced EVs that rival European and US counterparts in quality and appeal.

What is perhaps very interesting is how China's export reach has shifted in the last few years. From focusing on Africa and less-developed regions, Chinese automakers have come to target higher-income, densely populated countries in other continents to ensure a significant export growth.

EVs clearly remain a stronghold, accounting for a substantial chunk of the export volume. The Asian country exported 1.77 million EVs in 2023. This accounted for over 30 percent of its total vehicle exports.

The first nine months of 2024 saw EV exports from China accounting for 1.524 million units, representing 32.4 percent of all auto exports – a 22 percent increase from the same period last year.

Among the export markets that Chinese vehicle manufacturers have targeted are in Europe, Asia, Central and South America and the Middle East.

To counter tariffs, Chinese vehicle manufacturers are luring buyers in the overseas markets by providing cost-effective, feature-rich vehicles interestingly.

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Delhivery Partners Tata Motors, Euler Motors And Montra Electric To Deploy 2,000 EVs

Delhivery

Delhivery has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Tata Motors, Euler Motors and Montra Electric to deploy between 1,500 and 2,000 electric four-wheelers across its intra-city logistics network over the next 12 to 18 months. The agreements form part of the company's plan to deploy nearly 5,000 electric vehicles within three years and fully electrify its intra-city fleet operating under 200 kilometres per day within four to five years, starting with a rollout in Delhi-NCR.

At present, electric vehicles account for 12 to 13 percent of Delhivery's intra-city fleet. Through advance payments for vendors and investments in charging and parking facilities at its hubs, the company plans to increase that share beyond 50 percent over the next two to three years.

Under the partnerships, Delhivery will induct the Tata Intra EV from Tata Motors, begin deployments with the Turbo City Plus from Euler Motors before adding payload-capacity models and expand nationwide operations of Montra Electric's EVIATOR across its network.

Prashant Gazipur, COO – In City Operations, Delhivery, said, “Scaling fleet electrification means finding solutions that work across the diverse needs of our network without compromising operational efficiency. Partnering with Tata Motors, Euler Motors and Montra Electric lets us expand our electric fleet across vehicle categories. The charging facilities we are piloting will make EV adoption easier and more affordable for our vendor partners.”

GreenLine Deploys Electric Trucks For Kirloskar Ferrous Logistics Operations

GreenLine - Kirloskar Ferrous Industries

GreenLine Mobility Solutions, an Essar Group venture, has entered into a partnership with Kirloskar Ferrous Industries to deploy electric trucks for the manufacturer's logistics operations.

The initiative began with the flag-off of electric trucks at Kirloskar Ferrous' facility in Taloja, Navi Mumbai, integrating electric transport into the company's goods movement.

At present, GreenLine operates a fleet of more than 1,200 liquefied natural gas and electric trucks across freight corridors in India, serving sectors including steel, cement, mining, fast-moving consumer goods and chemicals. The fleet has recorded over 100 million kilometres of operations, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30,000 tonnes for its clients.

Madhur Taneja, CEO, GreenLine Mobility Solutions, said, “At GreenLine, we are focused on advancing lower-emission freight transportation through solutions suited to different logistics requirements. LNG continues to play an important role in our approach to decarbonising long-haul transportation, while electric trucks offer opportunities in applications suited to electric mobility. Our partnership with Kirloskar Ferrous marks a further step in expanding our electric truck deployments and working with businesses to integrate cleaner transportation solutions into their supply chains.”

“Electrifying inter-plant logistics is where sustainability meets operational excellence, driving higher efficiency, lower costs and a cleaner future” said the Kirloskar Ferrous Industries leadership team.

Nawgati Named Among Top 10 Finalists at UAE-India Startup Series 2.0

Nagwati

Noida-headquartered fuel-tech startup Nawgati has been selected among the top 10 finalists from over 11,000 applicants for the UAE-India Startup Series 2.0, organised by the UAE-India CEPA Council. The selection qualifies the company to present at the Final Pitch Event in Bengaluru on 17 and 18 November 2026.

Founded in 2019 by Vaibhav Kaushik, Aalaap Nair and Aryan Sisodia, Nawgati operates an artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) platform for fuel retail and gas companies, dealers and government agencies.

Its on-site controllers connect fuel dispensers, cameras and billing systems to detect safety risks, procedure breaches and non-compliant vehicles, enabling operators to intervene in operations across stations in India.

Vaibhav Kaushik, Co-Founder and CEO, Nawgati, said, “We are honoured to be selected among the top 10 from over 11,000 applicants for the UAE-India Startup Series 2.0, and we thank the UAE-India CEPA Council for this recognition. We have built Nawgati for the person in the driver’s seat. When a station runs smoothly, drivers spend less time stuck in queues, find fuel more reliably, and get clear, real-time information before they even reach the pump. Seeing that difference across India is what motivates us most. We look forward to taking this experience to more drivers and more stations.”

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Inaugurates Raptee.HV Flagship Experience Centre In Chennai

Raptee.HV - C. Joseph Vijay

Chennai-headquartered electric two-wheeler manufacturer Raptee.HV has opened a new three-storey Experience Centre on Old Mahabalipuram Road in Chennai.

The facility was virtually inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay, marking an expansion of the electric motorcycle manufacturer's retail network in its home market.

The facility replaces the company's previous factory outlet, providing space for customers to view the electric motorcycle, inspect its 240-volt high-voltage architecture, engage with technical staff and conduct test rides.

Raptee.HV's operations are supported by an INR 250 million investment from the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO). Following initial retail footprint additions in Bengaluru and Chennai, the company plans to expand to Coimbatore, Kochi, and Hyderabad, while evaluating export opportunities in Sri Lanka, Brazil and Turkey.

"Chennai is where our journey began, and bringing Raptee.HV closer to our customers here is special to us. We have always believed that listening to our customers is as important as engineering the motorcycle itself. We are proud to be the No. 1 electric motorcycle manufacturer in Chennai, our home market, and look forward to building on this leadership. Our new flagship store is an important step in that direction, allowing us to strengthen our connection with customers while offering them the premium experience they deserve. We hope to continue growing alongside the city that has been at the heart of our journey," said Dinesh Arjun, CEO and Co-Founder, Raptee.HV.