OICA data reveals how one country produces a third of the world’s cars

The global automotive industry continues to be defined by concentration, and the latest production statistics from the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) underscore just how uneven the landscape has become.

In 2024, the world built 92.5 million motor vehicles (passenger cars and commercial vehicles combined). A visualisation of OICA’s data from the World in Maps divides this total into three equal segments of roughly 33.3 % each and shows that a single country, China, accounts for an entire third of global vehicle output on its own.

China assembled 27,476,886 passenger cars and 3,804,706 commercial vehicles in 2024, bringing its total production to 31,281,592 vehicles. That figure represents about 34% of all cars and trucks built worldwide, far more than any other country. China’s output has been kept afloat by large domestic demand and aggressive expansion in electric vehicles; it recorded a 4% increase over the previous year.

After China, the next tier of manufacturers is led by Japan, the United States, India, Mexico and South Korea. In 2024, Japan produced 8,234,681 vehicles, while the United States built 10,562,188 units (including 9,129,573 commercial vehicles).

India’s factories rolled out 6,014,691 vehicles, reflecting steady growth in one of the world’s fastest‑expanding auto markets. Mexico and South Korea each manufactured just over 4 million vehicles. Combined, these five nations accounted for roughly another third of global production.

The remaining third came from dozens of other countries. Major European producers included Germany (about 4.07 million cars)and Spain (2.38 million vehicles). Brazil produced 2.55 million vehicles, posting a 10 % year‑on‑year increase. Russia rebounded strongly with 982,665 vehicles produced, up 35 % after a sharp decline the previous year.

Smaller but still significant contributions came from Thailand, Turkey, Canada, the United Kingdom and Italy, among others. Overall, world production fell by about 1 % in 2023, reflecting weaker demand in some markets and supply‑chain adjustments.