Comparing Exporting Competitiveness in the EV ERA: Determinants of RCA and REC Among Major Car Exporters

The global shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) may alter the competitiveness of automobile-exporting countries. This study measures revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and relative export competitiveness (REC) and examines their determinants for 10 major automobile-exporting countries from 2001 to 2022. The results show that Mexico, Germany, Japan, and Republic of Korea have strong automobile export competitiveness, Thailand and the United States show moderate competitiveness, while China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia record lower RCA and REC values. The regression results indicate that reported EV production status is positively associated with both RCA and REC. Physical capital per worker and labor productivity are also positively associated with competitiveness, while automobile production growth is negatively associated with both indicators. These findings suggest that automobile export competitiveness during the EV transition may depend not only on participation in EV production but also on capital intensity, labor productivity, production efficiency, product quality, and integration into export markets. Policy efforts should therefore support EV-related capabilities while also improving productivity, quality upgrading, and global value-chain integration.