What is the total number of cars in China?
2 Answers
As of September 2018, the total number of motor vehicles in China reached 322 million, including 235 million cars. The following is relevant information about car ownership: Definition: Car ownership (car-parc) refers to the number of vehicles in a region, usually referring to vehicles registered locally. However, car ownership is different from motor vehicle ownership, as the latter includes motorcycles, agricultural vehicles, etc. Problems caused by the increase in car ownership: Although China's car ownership per thousand people is still less than half of the world average, the traffic congestion and air pollution caused by the rapid increase in the number of cars have reached a very serious level. Almost all major cities suffer from severe traffic congestion, and before National Day, Beijing repeatedly experienced unprecedented traffic jams. Air pollution caused by vehicle exhaust emissions has become the main source of pollution in many large cities.
A while ago, I checked the data from the Ministry of Public Security. By the end of 2023, the total number of vehicles nationwide had reached 336 million. That translates to roughly one car for every four people, and this number is still climbing rapidly. Notably, new energy vehicles now account for over 20% of the total, indicating that environmental considerations are indeed becoming a priority for car buyers. However, traffic congestion is becoming increasingly severe—even third-tier cities experience deep red traffic conditions during rush hours. The rapid growth in vehicle ownership is outpacing the expansion of road infrastructure.
