China’s rise to the top of the global car export market didn’t happen overnight, but it is certainly the new status quo. The New York Times recently published a deep dive into how China outpaced giants like Japan and Germany to become the world’s largest car exporter this year. The article points to a mix of factors: a massive domestic market, decades of investment in electric vehicles (EVs), and a surplus of gas powered cars that are finding eager buyers overseas.

“Today, China produces and exports more cars than any other country in the world,” write Agnes Chang and Keith Bradsher. “Its domestic market for car sales is the largest globally — nearly as big as the American and European markets combined.”

What’s striking is how China leveraged its position in EVs to open up markets like Europe and Southeast Asia. At the same time, the slowdown in Chinese consumer spending has turned its car factories outward, exporting millions of surplus gas powered cars, often at sharp discounts. Even with rising tariffs from the U.S. and Europe, China’s efficiency and cost advantages might keep it in the lead for years.

Read the whole piece here.