China is now the largest vehicle exporter in the world, and the question facing most international dealers is no longer whether to source here, but how to do it without getting the specification wrong. This guide walks through the process end to end.
1. Decide what your market will actually accept
This is the step first-time importers skip, and it is the one that costs the most money. Before you look at a single vehicle, confirm what your destination country permits on import. The usual constraints are emissions standards, homologation and type approval, steering position, vehicle age limits, and — increasingly — charging standards for electric vehicles.
A car built for the Chinese domestic market may carry a different charging connector, lighting that does not meet your regulations, or a Chinese-language infotainment system. None of these are insurmountable, but all of them are cheaper to discover before the vehicle ships than after it arrives at your port.
2. Define the specification, not just the model
Model names in China frequently cover several trim levels with meaningfully different equipment, battery sizes and drivetrain layouts. When you brief a sourcing agent, give them: the brand and model, the model year, the trim level if you know it, the powertrain, quantity, your destination port, and your target landed cost. The more precise the brief, the more useful the quotation.
3. Choose your powertrain deliberately
China produces the widest range of powertrains available anywhere. Battery-electric vehicles are the fastest-growing export category, but they only make sense where charging infrastructure supports them. Plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles are often the more pragmatic choice for markets with high fuel costs and thin charging networks. Petrol and diesel remain the volume sellers across much of Africa, Central Asia and South Asia.
Our brand new cars from China service covers all of these, and the used vehicle desk handles second-hand sourcing where budget is the deciding factor.
4. Agree the commercial terms in writing
Whether you buy FOB or CIF changes who arranges freight and who carries the risk at each stage. Get the quotation itemised so you can see the vehicle cost, inland transport, port charges and ocean freight separately — that is the only way to calculate a landed cost you can actually price against. We cover this in detail in our guide to FOB versus CIF for China car exports.
5. Verify before you pay
Ask for photographic and video evidence of the actual vehicle, plus a written condition or specification report. For new vehicles this means confirming trim and equipment against the official manufacturer specification. For used vehicles it means a full inspection, which we cover in how vehicle inspection works before export.
6. Documentation
Export paperwork typically includes a commercial invoice, export licence, bill of lading and certificate of origin, plus any destination-specific requirements such as pre-shipment inspection certificates or conformity documentation. Requirements differ by country and change periodically — see documents needed to export a car from China.
7. Shipping
Roll-on/roll-off is usually the economical route for single units on established lanes. Container shipping suits multi-vehicle orders, routes without RoRo service, and buyers who want the vehicle enclosed. Our RoRo versus container guide explains how to choose.
Common mistakes
- Paying before verification. Never release full payment against photographs alone.
- Assuming the badge guarantees the specification. A familiar nameplate built for the Chinese market can differ substantially from the same model sold in Europe or the Gulf.
- Ignoring parts availability. A vehicle you cannot service in your market is difficult to resell, whatever the purchase price.
- Treating the first quotation as the final cost. Duty, VAT, port handling and clearance can add substantially to the FOB price.
Getting started
Send your brief — brands, models, powertrains, quantities and destination — and we will come back with what is genuinely orderable and a current itemised price. Contact our export team or message us on WhatsApp at +86 155 3716 1901.