China clean tech export surge driven by EVs and batteries

China’s clean tech exports reached $20B in August 2025, led by electric vehicles and battery shipments. Emerging markets like ASEAN and Africa fueled growth as prices kept falling.

China has set a new benchmark in the global race for clean technology. In August 2025, the country exported nearly $20 billion worth of green tech goods, cementing its role as the world’s largest supplier of electric vehicles, batteries, and energy components. Data from Ember, based on Chinese customs statistics, shows that EVs and batteries led the growth — exports rose by 26% and 23% respectively compared to last year.

Falling prices did little to slow progress. Over the past decade, solar panel costs have dropped by more than 80%, making them cheaper but reducing their share of total export value. Still, China shipped 46 gigawatts of panels in August — more than Australia’s entire installed capacity. According to Ember, despite lower prices, the export volume hit a historic high.

The surge is most visible in developing markets. EV exports to the ASEAN region jumped 75%, driven mainly by Indonesia, where BYD and CATL are building major production facilities. In Africa, Chinese solar exports rose by nearly 60% to 15 GW, and electric vehicle deliveries accelerated sharply, especially to Morocco and Nigeria.

Domestically, China’s transition is even faster: electric cars now account for about half of all new vehicle sales, and solar capacity installed in the first half of 2025 exceeded that of the rest of the world combined. Ember analysts attribute this momentum to steady government support aimed at electrifying transport and scaling clean energy.

Global reactions have been mixed. The European Union imposed five-year anti-subsidy duties on Chinese EVs — up to 45% total — while the United States raised tariffs on batteries and solar modules to between 25% and 100%. Yet Chinese exports keep climbing, and falling costs are intensifying competition worldwide.

Ember’s latest review suggests that China is becoming the foundation of a new global energy system. Continued cost reductions could further accelerate the shift toward low-carbon economies, especially in emerging regions where electric mobility and solar power are already reshaping the market.