April 2026 Mobility & Consumption Minute: China builds 40% of the world’s cars
Every month, the Mobility Minute and the Consumption Minute explore two major trends transforming consumer behaviour in France and across Europe.
Presented by Flavien Neuvy, economist and Director of the Cetelem Observatory, these two analyses provide a one-minute overview of the developments shaping the mobility and consumer markets.
This April 2026 edition of the Mobility & Consumption Minute highlights two key trends:
• Global car production is concentrating ever more heavily in Asia
• The in-depth recomposition of French households, which is transforming consumption patterns
The Mobility Minute of April 2026
Global car production 2025: China accounts for nearly 40% of the cars produced in the world
Find the full analysis in the Mobility Minute below:
In 2025, more than 78 million cars were produced worldwide. China accounts for close to 30 million of them more than the next four countries combined. According to ACEA figures, it is also the world’s largest market, with 24 million registrations, up 5.5%.
Key figures
– more than 78 million cars produced worldwide in 2025
– close to 30 million in China, roughly 40% of the total
– fewer than one million produced in France
– nearly 500,000 vehicles in Morocco, now Africa’s leading producer
➜ « Read the full analysis »
This industrial slippage raises direct questions about the levers available for a European automotive rebound.
Discover the latest Auto 2026 study by the Cetelem Observatory
With this new 2026 edition, while we note a worrying situation, we identify five levers that could create a healthy rebound in the automotive sector. An obligation, as the economic and social stakes are so high.
The Consumption Minute of April 2026
31 million households in France: a demographic recomposition that is transforming consumption
Find the full analysis in the Minute Conso below
France has 31 million households for a population of more than 66 million. But the make-up of those households has changed profoundly: single-person households have risen from 27% to almost 40% in thirty years.
Key figures
– 31 million households in France
– average household size down from 2.6 to 2.1 people
– nearly 25% single-parent families, against 12% thirty years ago
– 93% of households equipped with at least one digital device
Smaller, more solitary and more diverse households: each of these shifts alters purchasing trade-offs, consumption formats and service expectations.
Find the new 2026 Consumer Study from the Cetelem Observatory
As early as 2016, we were interested in seniors with a study entitled “Towards the golden age of the silver economy?”. At the time, we were far from suspecting that the decline in the birth rate would accelerate to such an extent and that the question of demographic ageing would be so acute 10 years later.
Find out about the latest Consumption study.
FAQ – Mobility and consumer markets, April 2026
- Which country produces the most cars in the world?
China, with close to 30 million vehicles produced in 2025, roughly 40% of global output, according to the Observatoire Cetelem de BNP Paribas Personal Finance. - How many electric cars have been registered in France since January 2026?
Fewer than one million vehicles in 2025, far behind the world’s five largest producing countries. - Which is the leading car-producing country in Africa?
Morocco, with nearly 500,000 vehicles produced in 2025. - How many households are there in France?
France has 31 million households for more than 66 million inhabitants, according to INSEE figures cited by the Observatoire Cetelem de BNP Paribas Personal Finance. - How has the composition of French households changed?
The average household has shrunk from 2.6 to 2.1 people, and nearly 40% of households now consist of a single person, against 27% thirty years ago. - Where can I find the detailed analyses?
Both full analyses are published on the Observatoire Cetelem website, in the Automotive and Consumption sections.
