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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Fact #637: August 23, 2010
World Motor Vehicle Production

The number of vehicles produced, including cars, trucks, and buses, rose substantially from 1950 to 2005. In 1950, the majority of the vehicles were produced in the U.S. and Western Europe. In 2009, Japan, China, and other countries around the world produced about two-thirds of the vehicles. The U.S. share of world vehicle production declined to 9.5% in 2009. The category "Other" includes notable markets such as South Korea, Brazil and India.

World Motor Vehicle Production, 1950-2009
Graph showing the regions or countries that produce the world's cars, trucks, and buses from 1950 to 2009. The trend is shifting away from automobiles produced in the U.S. and Western Europe in the 1950s to more production in 2009 in China, Japan, and other countries. For more detailed information, see supporting information below.

Supporting Information

World Vehicle Production (Thousands)
Year United States Canada Western Europe Japan China Other World Total U.S. Share (%)
1950 8.01 0.39 1.99 0.03 * 0.16 10.58 75.7
1955 9.20 0.45 3.74 0.07 * 0.16 13.63 67.5
1960 7.91 0.40 6.84 0.48 * 0.87 16.49 47.9
1965 11.14 0.85 9.58 1.88 * 0.83 24.27 45.9
1970 8.28 1.16 13.05 5.29 * 1.64 29.42 28.2
1975 8.99 1.39 13.58 6.94 * 2.21 33.11 27.1
1980 8.01 1.32 15.50 11.04 0.14 2.55 38.57 20.8
1985 11.65 1.93 16.11 12.27 0.44 2.50 44.91 25.9
1990 9.78 1.93 18.87 13.49 0.51 3.99 48.55 20.1
1995 11.99 2.41 17.05 10.20 1.43 6.92 49.98 24.0
2000 12.77 2.96 16.75 10.15 2.07 12.73 57.43 22.2
2005 11.95 2.69 16.81 10.78 5.67 17.88 65.77 18.2
2009 5.71 1.49 12.30 7.94 13.65 19.01 60.09 9.5

* Data for China before 1980 are not available.
Source: Ward's Automotive Group, Ward's Motor Vehicle Facts and Figures 2010.

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