Off-Road NEVs Emerge as a New Export Growth Driver: China‘s “NEV + Off-Road” Integrated Solutions Are Going Global

According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, China’s pickup truck exports reached 300,000 units in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 21%, with exports accounting for 50%. Among them, the sales volume of new energy pickup trucks surged by 243% year-on-year, far outpacing the overall growth rate of the pickup truck market. Meanwhile, the cumulative sales of new energy pickup trucks in 2025 hit 73,000 units, representing a 243% year-on-year growth and maintaining a growth momentum significantly higher than the overall pickup truck market. Plug-in hybrid technology has perfectly resolved the range anxiety of pure electric off-road vehicles. Intelligent four-wheel drive systems are more reliable than traditional mechanical four-wheel drive systems, while costing only 60% to 70% of those of international brands.

New energy off-road vehicles are emerging as a new highlight for Chinese automobile exports. This is not merely product export, but the global export of a complete “new energy + off-road” solution by China’s automobile industry.

China Pickup & Off-Road Export Scale (2025)

Total pickup sales: 589,000 units, +11.8% YoY

Pickup exports: 300,000 units, +21% YoY

Export share of total pickup sales: 50%

NEV pickup sales: 73,000 units, +243% YoY

Great Wall Motor – Pakistan Localization

Market entry: 5 years (since 2021)

Cumulative sales in Pakistan: >30,000 units, 1 in SUV segment

Tank 500 Hi4-T: CKD assembly launched April 11, 2026; pre-orders exceeded 5,000 units since Jan 2026

PHEV specs: 120km EV range, 950km total range, 24-min fast charge, 6kW V2L

Dongfeng Mengshi – Middle East

2025 exports: >1,000 units

Q4 2025 orders: >800 units in first month

Feb 2026 shipment: 400 units to Saudi Arabia and UAE (value >RMB 100 million)

Markets: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon

2026 Q1: Doha flagship showroom opened

212 – Global Footprint

Overseas network: 70+ countries and regions

Key markets: Middle East, Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa

Localization initiatives: regional parts warehouses, local assembly planning

In-Depth Analysis 1. Why off-road NEVs are the next frontier The traditional off-road and pickup market has long been dominated by American and Japanese brands—Ford, Toyota, Jeep. But electrification is changing the competitive landscape. Chinese suppliers have three structural advantages in this segment:

Mature hybrid technology: PHEV and EREV systems eliminate range anxiety for off-road use cases, where pure EVs struggle. China’s vertically integrated supply chain for batteries, motors, and controllers delivers cost advantages of 30-40% versus Western competitors.

Extreme-condition validation: The domestic market has already tested these vehicles in diverse terrains—from the Tibetan Plateau to the Gobi Desert—providing real-world validation for export markets with similar conditions (Middle Eastern deserts, Latin American highlands, Southeast Asian rainforests).

Integrated solution capabilities: Chinese OEMs are not exporting standalone vehicles; they are exporting “NEV + off-road” ecosystems that include hybrid powertrains, intelligent 4WD systems, and vehicle-to-load capabilities for outdoor applications.

2. The localization model: From product export to capacity export The Tank 500 Hi4-T CKD launch in Pakistan is a representative case.As a rare high-end mid-to-large SUV produced via the CKD approach in the history of Pakistan’s automotive industry, this project has not only achieved localized production but also boosted the improvement of local supply chain capabilities. Pre-orders exceeded 5,000 units within three months of launch, demonstrating strong local demand for premium NEV off-road products. This model—CKD assembly, technology transfer, and local supply chain integration—is more sustainable than pure CBU exports. It aligns with host country industrial policies, creates local jobs, and reduces tariff exposure. 3. Middle East as a strategic high ground For Chinese off-road NEVs, the Middle East represents both a volume market and a brand validation test. The region’s extreme climate (high temperatures, sandstorms) and demanding off-road use cases provide a proving ground that builds global credibility. The layout of Dongfeng Mengshi in the Middle East is particularly typical. In Q4 2025, the Mengshi M817 added an exclusive off-road mode for desert terrain in a targeted manner, and integrated local cultural symbols to create customized luxury interior kits, securing over 800 orders in its first month on the market. In January 2026, its flagship showroom in Doha, Qatar officially opened. Mengshi’s sales and service network in the Middle East has covered Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon and other countries. 4. The brand-building challenge Unlike passenger EVs, where Chinese brands have made significant brand-building progress, off-road vehicles carry strong emotional and lifestyle associations. For brands like 212, which carries a 60-year heritage as China’s original off-road vehicle, this is an asset. The 212 brand has expanded to more than 70 countries and regions worldwide, focusing on regions with strong demand for off-road vehicles such as the Middle East, Europe, South America and Southeast Asia. By participating in top-tier events including the Dakar Rally and the Malaysia International Rainforest Challenge, as well as establishing regional parts distribution centers and local KD factories, 212 is building a complete overseas operation system covering products and services.

Industry Insights

For procurement decision-makers: The off-road NEV segment has unique component requirements: heavy-duty chassis systems, high-performance hybrid powertrains, specialized thermal management for extreme conditions, and ruggedized ADAS sensors. Chinese suppliers in these sub-sectors are gaining export scale and should be evaluated for global sourcing programs. For component suppliers: Prioritize development of off-road-specific components: high-strength structural parts, intelligent 4WD/electronic differential systems, desert-grade thermal management, and extreme-condition battery protection. The window for establishing supply relationships with Chinese off-road OEMs is open but narrowing. For aftermarket and distribution partners: With 300,000 pickups exported in 2025 alone, plus growing volumes of SUVs and specialized off-road vehicles, aftermarket demand for compatible parts in destination markets will surge in the next 12-24 months. Distributors in the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia should begin building inventory of off-road-specific components now.

Which off-road NEV segment do you see as the biggest opportunity for Chinese suppliers in the next 3-5 years: hybrid pickups, luxury electric off-road SUVs, or specialized commercial vehicles?

Hashtags：OffRoadNEV PickupExport ChinaAutomotive NEV GreatWall Dongfeng 212 SupplyChain MiddleEast GNSGO