Since 2009, China has emerged as the world’s largest vehicle market, both in terms of sales and manufacturing. Last year, China produced 23.7 million vehicles, according to the Center for Automotive Research, based in Ann Arbor, MI. Chinese consumers purchased 23.5 million cars and light trucks. For those who worry America’s roads may soon be clogged with the likes of the Brilliance Dolphin, Shuanghuan Noble or Zotye Cloud – don’t. “Realistically, it may take ten years or longer for Chinese automakers to export autos to developed markets like the US,” said Qiang Hong, senior research scientist at the Center for Automotive Research, based in Ann Arbor, MI. The Chinese car and truck industry is firmly rooted in China. The country imported 1.4 million cars, mostly luxury models from Japan and Europe. It exported 900,000 cars and trucks last year, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, or CAAM. However, it’s become a domestic-made-for-domestic-consumption industry. There’s very little to indicate this will change in the coming decade. In about two months, the first batch of Volvo model S60 sedans are scheduled to arrive in American showrooms after their long journey from the Chinese city of Chengdu. But this much-ballyhooed Chinese-made auto export is far more symbol than threat, a kind of display of colors for Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co, which has owned Volvo since 2010. According to CAAM, vehicle exports are down significantly so far this year. Last year, Iran was the biggest destination for Chinese cars, followed by Algeria, Russia and Egypt. These are not exactly boom markets. (Chinese car exports shouldn’t be confused with the shipping of car parts. That export business is gigantic and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Chinese auto manufacturers, say Hong and others, understand that breaking into a developed market like the US would require a long, tough and expensive haul. Not only would they be forced to engineer for much stricter environmental and safety standards, the marketing, distribution and dealership costs would be enormous, with no guarantee of even medium-term success. Set aside these issues, though. The biggest reason for an inward looking industry is a ready marketplace. It’s simple demographics, Hong explained. In developed countries, there are about 500 vehicles for every 1,000 inhabitants. That figure in the car loving USA is 800. In China, it’s 95 to 100. Even in a city such as Beijing, it’s only 250. So, the upside in a country with 1.4 billion people is vast. Currently, 112 domestic manufacturers build cars and trucks in China and another 25 or so are expected to come online in the next two to three years. (That doesn’t include joint ventures producing American, Japanese, Korean and European cars, although all the Chinese partners in these ventures produce their own cars as well.) That manufacturers number is a bit deceiving. Led by Volkswagen, eight of the top ten brands made and sold in China are foreign. Only five Chinese manufacturers have national reach and significance, Hong said, and “the rest are more like local brands.” SAIC Motor Corp. is China’s largest automaker and the world’s tenth largest. Hong stressed, however, that these far-flung automakers aren’t likely to give up anytime soon. They enjoy the patronage of local governments that relish the prestige of their own brands. Keeping local cars local may not be a bad thing on one count. While China’s vehicle makers may be firing on all cylinders, the country’s vehicle-transport infrastructure is struggling to catch up. Misfires remain commonplace. When it comes to the transport of vehicles, the country is poorly serviced, and almost wholly dependent on often overloaded and illegally extended trucks. Some inroads have been made. Although shippers continue to grumble about storage capacity issues and occasional congestion, the country’s biggest ports have made major strides in the past decade developing Ro/Ro facilities. Shanghai Haitong International Auto Terminal is the largest. Throughput reached 1.28 million vehicles in 2012, according to China Ports Association, as cited in Automotive Logistics Magazine. Tianjin followed with 864,000 units. They’re hobbled, however, by a structural issue: These facilities look outward, with the global market in mind, even though almost half their moves are domestic. Shanghai offers barge services. Some rudimentary Ro/Ro traffic links various coastal ports and the Yangtze River. There’s talk of more short sea traffic. However, ships account for less than 10% of all new vehicle transport, according to Automotive Logistics. The Ro/Ros in service are small and aging. A far bigger problem is rail. China may be aggressively expanding its rail network, and beginning to focus on freight as opposed to passenger, but capacity and routes able to service rail-based vehicle carriers are wholly lacking. They’re also far down the government’s priority list for improvement, as well. Rail movements accounted for a scant 6% of vehicles produced, according to an official of China Railway Special Cargo Services, speaking at a Beijing conference last year. Add to all this, a lack of intermodal shipping. None of the big ports have ship to rail links. China has some serious growing pains to overcome. But for the time-being, order books are full and the roads just keep on getting more congested.