International purchases of imported electric cars cost a total US$93.8 billion in 2022.

That dollar amount reflects an 803% acceleration from $10.4 billion worth of electric cars imported during 2018.

Year over year, the value of globally imported electric cars grew by 48.2% compared to $63.3 billion for 2021.

Imported electric cars represent 12% of all global purchases for all imported cars for 2022, compared to 8.5% for 2021 and 1.3% five years earlier in 2018.

From a continental perspective, European countries spent the most on imported electric cars during 2022 with purchases costing $63.3 billion or over two-thirds (67.3%) of the global total. In second place were importers in North America at 17% while another 12.4% of electric cars imported worldwide were delivered to Asia.

Smaller percentages went to Oceania (2.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Latin America plus the Caribbean (0.6%), then Africa (0.2%).

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for electric cars is 870380.

Electric Cars Imports by Country

Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of electric cars during 2022.

1. Germany: US$11 billion (11.8% of total imported electric cars)
2. United Kingdom: $10.8 billion (11.5%)
3. United States: $10.7 billion (11.4%)
4. Belgium: $8.2 billion (8.7%)
5. Norway: $7.1 billion (7.5%)
6. France: $5.6 billion (6%)
7. Canada: $5 billion (5.3%)
8. Sweden: $3.7 billion (4%)
9. Netherlands: $2.8 billion (3%)
10. Spain: $2.2 billion (2.3%)
11. Switzerland: $2 billion (2.2%)
12. South Korea: $1.9 billion (2.1%)
13. Denmark: $1.7 billion (1.8%)
14. Australia: $1.5 billion (1.6%)
15. Israel: $1.45 billion (1.5%)

By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 80.7% of all electric cars imported in 2022.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for electric cars since 2021 were: Israel (up 208.2%), Spain (up 140.9%), Canada (up 110.7%) and Australia (up 104.2%).

The most modest gain in imported electric cars purchases was posted by buyers in the Netherlands, recording a 9.1% advance.

Electric Cars Imported into Germany

Germany’s global purchases of imported electric cars totaled US$11 billion in 2022. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Germany imported the highest dollar value worth of electric cars during 2022.

1. Belgium: US$1.6 billion (up 173.7% from 2021)
2. Spain: $1.4 billion (up 145.1%)
3. France: $1.1 billion (up 3.1%)
4. Czech Republic: $1.1 billion (up 10.4%)
5. mainland China: $946.7 million (up 23.4%)
6. South Korea: $886 million (up 6%)
7. United Kingdom: $816.6 million (down -1%)
8. Slovenia: $765.2 million (up 307.9%)
9. Italy: $745.8 million (up 96.9%)
10. United States of America: $685.6 million (down -53.6%)
11. Slovakia: $461.2 million (down -50.5%)
12. Hungary: $241.2 million (up 545.1%)
13. Japan: $143.1 million (up 2.5%)
14. Netherlands: $64.3 million (up 172.8%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.6% of Germany’s electric cars imported in 2022.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electric cars to Germany since 2021 were: Hungary (up 545.1%), Slovenia (up 307.9%), Belgium (up 173.7%) and the Netherlands (up 172.8%).

A trio of major suppliers experienced declines in the value of their electric cars supplied to German importers, namely: United States of America (down -53.6%), Slovakia (down -50.5%) and United Kingdom (down -1%).

Overall, the value of Germany’s electric cars imports increased by an average 23% from all supplying countries since 2021 when electric cars purchases were valued at $9 billion.

Electric Cars Imported into the United Kingdom

Britain’s global purchases of imported electric cars totaled US$10.8 billion in 2022. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Great Britain imported the highest dollar value worth of electric cars during 2022.

1. mainland China: US$3.8 billion (up 102.8% from 2021)
2. Germany: $3.5 billion (up 98%)
3. South Korea: $1.1 billion (up 16.2%)
4. Belgium: $563.3 million (down -16%)
5. France: $372.5 million (up 78.8%)
6. Austria: $276.8 million (down -8.2%)
7. Czech Republic: $254.9 million (2021 data unavailable)
8. Spain: $183.8 million (up 89.5%)
9. Mexico: $164.6 million (down -0.6%)
10. Japan: $146.7 million (up 200.7%)
11. United States of America: $127.2 million (up 201,811%)
12. Italy: $111.9 million (up 1391.7%)
13. Hungary: $103.4 million (2021 data unavailable)
14. Slovakia: $100.7 million (2021 data unavailable)
15. Slovenia: $16.8 million (2021 data unavailable)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.94% of the United Kingdom’s electric cars imported in 2022.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electric cars to the United Kingdom since 2021 were: United States of America (up 201,811%), Italy (up 1,392%), Japan (up 200.7%) and mainland China (up 102.8%).

Three major suppliers experienced declines in the value of their electric cars supplied to UK importers included: Belgium (down -16% from 2021), Austria (down -8.2%), Mexico (down -0.6%).

Overall, the value of United Kingdom’s electric cars imports accelerated by an average 37% from all supplying countries since 2021 when electric cars purchases were valued at $7.9 billion.

Electric Cars Imported into the United States

The United States of America’s global purchases of imported electric cars totaled US$10.7 billion in 2022. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the US imported the highest dollar value worth of electric cars during 2022.

1. Germany: US$3.5 billion (up 89.5% from 2021)
2. South Korea: $2.6 billion (up 365%)
3. Mexico: $2.3 billion (up 35%)
4. Belgium: $1.1 billion (up 49.5%)
5. China: $429.6 million (up 83.4%)
6. Japan: $361.7 million (up 163.8%)
7. Hungary: $104.6 million (2021 data unavailable)
8. United Kingdom: $102.2 million (up 135.4%)
9. Vietnam: $55.8 million (up 5714.7%)
10. Sweden: $37.7 million (up 246.4%)
11. Austria: $12.3 million (down -63%)
12. Canada: $2.6 million (up 239.3%)
13. France: $1.17 million (up 108.3%)
14. Italy: $1.15 million (up 3.6%)
15. Czech Republic: $181,000 (up 42.5%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.998% of America’s electric cars imported in 2022.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electric cars to the United States since 2021 were: Vietnam (up 5,715%), South Korea (up 365%), Sweden (up 246.4%) and Canada (up 239.3%).

Austria was the lone supplier experienced a decline in the value of electric cars supplied to American importers, dragged down by a -63% drop.

Overall, the value of America’s electric cars imports spiked by an average 100.1% from all supplying countries since 2021 when electric cars purchases were valued at $5.4 billion.

Electric Cars Imported into Belgium

Belgium’s global purchases of imported electric cars totaled US$8.2 billion in 2022. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Belgium imported the highest dollar value worth of electric cars during 2022.

1. mainland China: US$3.7 billion (up 60.8% from 2021)
2. Germany: $1.8 billion (up 230.1%)
3. Mexico: $1.1 billion (down -16.9%)
4. Spain: $407.5 million (up 24.7%)
5. Netherlands: $356.9 million (up 127.2%)
6. United States of America: $216.1 million (down -81.3%)
7. Japan: $208.8 million (down -24%)
8. Italy: $155.1 million (up 68.9%)
9. France: $100.8 million (down -2.3%)
10. South Korea: $72.9 million (down -17.9%)
11. Czech Republic: $57.51 million (up 15.2%)
12. Slovakia: $29.17 million (up 25.8%)
13. Austria: $193 million (down -26.8%)
14. Morocco: $12.9 million (up 317%)
15. Slovenia: $12.3 million (up 26%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.73% of Belgium’s electric cars imported in 2022.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electric cars to Belgium since 2021 were: Morocco (up 317%), Germany (up 230.1%), Netherlands (up 127.2%) and Italy (up 68.9%).

Major suppliers that experienced declines in the value of their electric cars supplied to Belgian importers included: United States of America (down -81.3%), Austria (down -26.8%), Japan (down -24%) and South Korea (down -17.9%).

Overall, the value of Belgium’s electric cars imports expanded by an average 27.1% from all supplying countries since 2021 when electric cars purchases were valued at $6.4 billion.

Searchable List of Electric Cars Importers

You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below.

Rank	Importer	Electric Car Imports	2021-2
1.	Germany	$11,029,819,000	+23%
2.	United Kingdom	$10,785,468,000	+37%
3.	United States	$10,722,008,000	+100.1%
4.	Belgium	$8,178,316,000	+27.1%
5.	Norway	$7,058,691,000	+25.7%
6.	France	$5,585,901,000	+28%
7.	Canada	$4,992,962,000	+110.7%
8.	Sweden	$3,713,504,000	+38.7%
9.	Netherlands	$2,789,582,000	+9.1%
10.	Spain	$2,196,817,000	+140.9%
11.	Switzerland	$2,035,279,000	+35.7%
12.	South Korea	$1,941,350,000	+61.5%
13.	Denmark	$1,702,057,000	+39.3%
14.	Australia	$1,501,339,000	+104.2%
15.	Israel	$1,452,966,000	+208.2%
16.	China	$1,445,015,000	+81.3%
17.	Austria	$1,404,364,000	+12.3%
18.	United Arab Emirates	$1,294,783,000	+507.8%
19.	Italy	$1,276,577,000	-29.8%
20.	Hong Kong	$1,011,455,000	+169.6%
21.	Japan	$975,230,000	-13%
22.	Finland	$950,721,000	+60.9%
23.	Taiwan	$890,811,000	+134.4%
24.	Portugal	$744,383,000	+52.2%
25.	New Zealand	$673,060,000	+116.5%
26.	Poland	$589,747,000	+43.2%
27.	Ireland	$587,955,000	+106.8%
28.	Türkiye	$583,053,000	+140.7%
29.	Thailand	$473,879,000	+253.7%
30.	Ukraine	$414,392,000	+95.3%
31.	Romania	$364,784,000	+148.4%
32.	Iceland	$312,275,000	+76%
33.	Jordan	$309,807,000	+121.3%
34.	Luxembourg	$260,619,000	+28.6%
35.	Brazil	$250,854,000	+131.5%
36.	Mexico	$201,998,000	+143%
37.	Indonesia	$186,545,000	+561.9%
38.	Malaysia	$184,978,000	+339.1%
39.	Singapore	$178,954,000	+123.8%
40.	Hungary	$178,184,000	+12.1%
41.	Russia	$138,327,000	+42%
42.	Czech Republic	$135,122,000	+47.6%
43.	Greece	$113,508,000	+53.8%
44.	Slovenia	$111,557,000	+21.4%
45.	Slovakia	$103,261,000	-10.7%
46.	Lithuania	$99,530,000	+43%
47.	India	$89,271,000	+492.3%
48.	Costa Rica	$89,137,000	+135.9%
49.	Belarus	$81,102,000	+1133%
50.	Latvia	$70,906,000	+71.3%
51.	Uzbekistan	$69,992,000	+314.4%
52.	Macao	$66,956,000	+68.2%
53.	Estonia	$65,278,000	+42.9%
54.	Ethiopia	$63,438,000	+2692%
55.	Croatia	$62,011,000	+23.2%
56.	Colombia	$57,187,000	+95.7%
57.	Nepal	$55,767,000	+58.6%
58.	Bulgaria	$49,914,000	+129.9%
59.	Kyrgyzstan	$46,662,000	+1205%
60.	Lebanon	$45,812,000	+291%
61.	Pakistan	$43,132,000	+0.8%
62.	Saudi Arabia	$41,913,000	+24848%
63.	Bangladesh	$40,767,000	-36.4%
64.	Uruguay	$40,719,000	+84.2%
65.	Chile	$40,389,000	+151.8%
66.	South Africa	$31,630,000	+131.5%
67.	Malta	$29,628,000	+95.8%
68.	Armenia	$29,123,000	+492.1%
69.	Dominican Republic	$28,765,000	+40.1%
70.	Kazakhstan	$27,491,000	+85.1%
71.	Laos	$27,340,000	+1173%
72.	Mauritius	$23,894,000	+200.6%
73.	Egypt	$23,298,000	0%
74.	Kuwait	$19,092,000	+721.5%
75.	Cyprus	$18,820,000	+166.7%
76.	Azerbaijan	$17,661,000	+410%
77.	Djibouti	$17,595,000	+1897%
78.	Ecuador	$14,263,000	+373.7%
79.	Morocco	$12,780,000	+145.3%
80.	Cambodia	$12,302,000	+439.1%
81.	Philippines	$11,950,000	+291.5%
82.	Vietnam	$11,726,000	+170.2%
83.	Moldova	$11,604,000	+168.1%
84.	Barbados	$10,651,000	+157.1%
85.	Panama	$9,176,000	+78.9%
86.	Faroe Islands	$7,200,000	+20.5%
87.	Andorra	$6,642,000	+39.9%
88.	Angola	$6,563,000	+138.4%
89.	Mongolia	$6,270,000	+702.8%
90.	Qatar	$5,867,000	-1%
91.	French Polynesia	$5,569,000	+31.2%
92.	Bermuda	$5,311,000	+18.6%
93.	Cayman Islands	$5,196,000	-5.5%
94.	Peru	$5,011,000	+178.2%
95.	Jamaica	$4,822,000	+993.4%
96.	Bhutan	$4,572,000	+239.9%
97.	Bahamas	$4,546,000	+144.9%
98.	Serbia	$4,168,000	+81.1%
99.	Palestine	$4,090,000	0%
100.	Oman	$4,002,000	+446%

Focusing on the top 100 importers of electric cars, the fastest growing markets are Saudi Arabia (up 24,848%), Ethiopia (up 2,692%), Djibouti (up 1,897%), Kyrgyzstan (up 1,205%), Laos (up 1,173%), Belarus (up 1,133%) and Jamaica (up 993.4%).

Note that an entry of 0% in the above table’s right-most column means that 2021 data was unavailable.

Best-Selling Electric Car Models

Listed below are the world’s most popular plug-in electric car models based on annual sales according to hybridCARS.com, an online reviewer of cars. Shown within brackets is the automobile manufacturer for each electric car model.

• Leaf (Nissan)
• Model S (Tesla)
• Volt/Ampera (General Motors)
• Outlander PHEV (Mitsubishi)
• Prius PHV (Toyota)
• Qin (BYD)
• Zoe (Renault)
• i3 BEV and Rex (BMW)
• i-MiEV (Mitsubishi)
• Tang (BYD)

 

See also Electric Cars Exports by Country, Cars Exports by Country, Cars Imports by Country and US Exported & Imported Cars by State

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on September 7, 2023

hybridCARS, Global 10 Best-Selling Plug-In Cars Are Accelerating Forward. Accessed on September 7, 2023

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 7, 2023

Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on September 7, 2023

Wikipedia, List of electric cars currently available. Accessed on September 7, 2023