China, the United States and Japan were the largest producers of automobiles and commercial vehicles in the world in 2024, according to data from the International Organization of Automobile Manufacturers (OICA).
China had a 4% year-on-year increase in this indicator, reaching 31 million 281,592 units.
In contrast, Japan registered a 9% drop, producing 8 million 234,681 units; while the United States had a 1% decrease, to 10 million 562,188 units.
Largest producers of automobiles
To take into account: automobiles are motor vehicles intended mainly for the transportation of people and which have a maximum of 9 seats including the driver.
The following are the world’s largest producers of automobiles and commercial vehicles, in thousands of units and year-on-year growth rates:
- China: 31,282 (+4 percent).
- United States: 10,562 (-1 percent).
- Japan: 8,235 (-9 percent).
- India: 6,045 (+3 percent).
- Mexico: 4,203 (+5 percent).
As examples, cars include sedans, hatchbacks, coupes and SUVs for private use.
Outside the Top 5
Mexico climbed from seventh in 2023 to fifth in 2024 in this ranking, surpassing Germany and South Korea.
In 2024, Germany produced 4 million 069,222 units (-1%), while South Korea manufactured 4 million 127,252 units (-3%).
Commercial vehicles are divided into light, medium and heavy-duty, and are intended for transporting goods or people for commercial purposes.
Internally, light commercial vehicles have a maximum authorized weight of up to 3.5 tons. These can be, for example, vans, cargo pick-ups and some delivery minivans.
Finally, medium and heavy commercial vehicles weigh more than 3.5 tons, such as cargo trucks, tractor-trailers and buses.