Vietnam’s vehicle and parts exports exceed $15 billion as US and Mexico sales accelerate
Vietnam exported more than $15.08 billion of vehicles and parts in the first nine months of 2026, up 17% year on year. Shipments rose strongly to the United States, Mexico and several European markets, supported by expanding domestic vehicle production.
Exports maintain double-digit growth
Vietnam earned more than $15.08 billion from exports of vehicles and parts in the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 17% from the same period of 2025, according to customs data reported by CafeBiz. The category has become a significant source of foreign currency alongside the country’s established electronics and agricultural exports.
The United States was one of the sector’s largest growth markets. Vietnamese shipments of vehicles and parts to the US reached $2.83 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 20.59% from $2.34 billion a year earlier. Exports to Japan totaled $2.27 billion, an increase of 4.69%, while shipments to South Korea rose 6.65% to $1.29 billion. Together, the three markets received more than $6.38 billion of Vietnamese vehicles and components.
Mexico and Europe drive expansion
Mexico recorded the fastest growth among the markets detailed by CafeBiz. Vietnam’s vehicle and parts exports to the country increased from $385.72 million to $590.04 million, a rise of 52.97%. Mexico is a major automotive manufacturing center within the North American supply chain under the USMCA, making the increase particularly relevant for Vietnamese suppliers seeking access to international vehicle production networks.
Thailand, a central automotive assembly base in Southeast Asia, imported more than $470 million of Vietnamese vehicles and parts, up 9.36%. CafeBiz also reported growing Vietnamese shipments of computers, electronic products, machinery and equipment to Thailand. The figures indicate that the relationship extends beyond mechanical components to electronics and production equipment used by the country’s assembly industry.
Sales also accelerated in European markets with demanding technical and environmental standards. Exports to Germany rose 40.51%, from $209.3 million to $294.0 million, while shipments to the Netherlands increased 31.55%, from $188.4 million to $247.9 million. Italy imported $289.4 million, up 6.86%. CafeBiz linked the expansion to European demand for electrical components and advanced wiring systems as manufacturers increase production of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Domestic scale supports component suppliers
Vietnam’s export growth is developing alongside a rapidly expanding domestic market. Data compiled from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association and statistical agencies put domestic vehicle sales at more than 432,500 units in the first eight months of 2026, up 26.6% year on year. Electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for 44% of national sales. Domestic electric-vehicle producer VinFast delivered 154,073 cars during the period, approximately 75% more than a year earlier, and held more than 35% of the market.
Domestic automobile assembly was estimated at 416,400 units in the first nine months, an increase of 24.8%, while 3.13 million new motorcycles entered the market, up 28.1%. This manufacturing volume gives component companies a larger base over which to standardize production, build technical capabilities and control costs. The export figures show that Vietnamese suppliers are gaining business in established Asian automotive centers, North American manufacturing networks and Europe’s electrifying vehicle industry. Continued progress will depend on their ability to meet stringent specifications while increasing local content and moving into higher-value electrical and electronic systems.