The biennial Paris Motor Show, the world’s oldest and largest car fair will be coming to an end in the next few days. This year’s event has reinforced the message that the world is on the cusp of an Electric Vehicle, EV revolution.
Asian car-makers are leaving no stone upturned as they continue to dominate at the event with exotic designs that will leave searching for an appropriate exclamation. The likes of Toyota Motor, Mitsubishi Motors, Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, Honda Motor, Lexus and Suzuki Motor are swell time in Paris.
South Korean car-maker Hyundai RN30 High Performance Concept Car
The most conspicuous absence is China, the world’s biggest EV market. Chinese makers have long had their eyes on Europe, the second largest car market after China, and some brands such as Great Wall Motor, Geely Automobile Holdings and Chang’an are sold there. But Europe’s ultra-tough emissions and safety standards rule out many Chinese models.
Mitsubishi Motors’ high-end SUV concept , known as the GT-PHEV
Germany, Japan and the U.S. dominate global car exports, accounting for about 44% of the total global value of $673 billion in 2015, according to the Paris-based International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA). Chinese exports numbered only 728,000 vehicles in 2015, accounting for only 0.6% of global export market by value.
China continues to be world’s leading producer, consumer and auto investment destination. According to the OICA, China produced 24.5 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in 2015 out of a world total of 90.78 million units and had domestic sales of 24.6 million in that year.
China also leads in EV sales and production, with the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reporting in August that EV volumes were running at more than double last year’s rate. In the first seven months of 2016, the association said, Chinese EV sales were 207,000 units, with 153,000 being battery models and 54,000 plug-in hybrid EVs. 
The Toyota Corolla remained the world’s top selling car in the first half of 2016, according to the Rome-based automotive consultancy Focus2Move. It was followed by the VW Golf and the Ford F-Series light truck, which is consistently the top seller in the U.S. market. The Ford Focus and the Hyundai Elantra were ranked fourth and fifth globally. China’s favorite vehicle remains the Wuling Hong Guang, a minivan that is also sold in India as the Chevy Enjoy. In the Japanese market, the top seller is the Toyota Prius/Aqua hybrid range.
