No. 1030 - The global automotive sector after the pandemic: key questions and answers

Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional papers)
by Lorenzo Bencivelli, Alessio Ciarlone, Emidio Cocozza, Andrea Gerali, Andrea Perin and Carmine Porello
July 2026
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The paper examines the evolution of the global automotive industry in the aftermath of the pandemic. Through a series of questions and answers, it explores its major transformations, including the uneven recovery of the market and the diffusion of electric vehicles, the rise of China as the leading producer and exporter, shifts in the geography of supply chains, and the growing interconnections among industrial and trade policies and the strategic decisions of automotive manufacturers.

Since the pandemic, the global automotive market has changed markedly. Demand remains weak in the advanced economies but continues to grow in China, driven by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles. Chinese manufacturers dominate the sector thanks to strong control of supply chains and lower production costs, while European firms face a difficult industrial transition. Diverging environmental, industrial, and trade policies are reshaping global competition.

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  1. 21 July 2026
    No. 1030 - The global automotive sector after the pandemic: key questions and answers
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