From TBR Dominance to PCR Breakthroughs

The rise of Chinese tire companies is profoundly changing the competitive landscape of the global tire industry. From comprehensively "encircling" international brands in the commercial vehicle tire (TBR) sector to gradually breaking through foreign defenses in the passenger car tire (PCR) market, Chinese tires have achieved a leap from the periphery to the mainstream through continuous leaps from "cost-effectiveness" to "technological breakthroughs."

In the TBR market, the overtaking by Chinese companies has almost restructured the industry rules. More than a decade ago, foreign brands such as Michelin and Bridgestone occupied more than half of the domestic market share due to their technological advantages, while domestic companies were trapped in OEM manufacturing and low-end products, struggling to survive in price wars.

But today, this situation has been completely reversed. Data shows that in 2025, domestic brands such as Linglong, Triangle, and Fengshen will have a combined market share of over 85% in the domestic TBR market, while foreign brands will have less than 15%, and most companies have even closed their TBR production lines in China.

This reversal is not accidental, but the result of domestic companies accurately grasping the market and continuously promoting technological adaptation. As early as around 2015, Chinese tire companies astutely recognized the core demands of commercial vehicle users for "wear resistance and high cost-effectiveness."

They abandoned the foreign companies' "profit-driven, low-volume" approach, adopting a "low-profit, high-volume" strategy to rapidly penetrate the market and gradually squeeze foreign tires out of the replacement market. 

Simultaneously, to address the complex road conditions in China, companies increased their R&D investment in specialized tires, resolving the pain point of foreign brands' products being "unsuitable for local conditions." By 2025, foreign-invested tire manufacturers in China had only about 7 million TBR (tireless tire) production capacity, concentrated in aftermarket services, and were no longer able to compete with domestic brands in the replacement market.

The withdrawal of foreign brands is accelerating. In 2024, Bridgestone closed its commercial vehicle tire plant in Shenyang, and Michelin simultaneously dismantled its truck and bus tire production lines at its Shenyang plant. By 2025, the number of foreign-invested tire plants in China had decreased from nearly 40 at its peak to 28, with TBR production capacity accounting for less than 10%.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies continue to invest heavily in technological upgrades. For example, Zhongce Rubber's electric commercial vehicle-specific tire, launched globally in 2025, leverages its independently developed "X Technology System" to effectively overcome industry challenges such as high wear, high failure rates, and uneven wear, achieving key performance levels comparable to international advanced standards.

While consolidating their TBR (Toyota Bray) advantages, Chinese tire companies are accelerating their push into the passenger car tire (PCR) market, gradually breaking the long-standing monopoly of foreign brands. Not long ago, foreign brands held an absolute dominant position in the PCR market, with a market share reaching as high as 70% around 2010, forming a significant barrier, especially in the high-end original equipment sector.

However, since 2023, this landscape has quietly changed. In tire stores in some first- and second-tier cities, the proportion of Chinese brands has increased from less than 20% five years ago to over 50%, with some stores even reaching 70%.

Domestic companies are precisely targeting the high-demand mid-range market of 15-17 inch tires, continuously squeezing the market share of foreign brands through high cost-performance ratios; while foreign brands, to ensure profits, are gradually withdrawing from mid-range sizes and consolidating their position in the high-end market of 18-inch and above.

More importantly, technological breakthroughs are becoming the core competitiveness for Chinese tire manufacturers in seizing the PCR (Potentially Original Rubber) market. Leading companies are continuously increasing their R&D investment, moving away from the "imitation and following" path and achieving original leadership from formulation to process.

Sailun Group's "Liquid Gold" tire breaks the "devil's triangle" law of tire performance, balancing fuel economy and safety; Linglong Tire's high-end products are used in the entire Hongqi series and have begun negotiations with BMW and Audi for tire manufacturing; in 2025, Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra partnered with Sailun to launch a co-branded high-performance tire, signifying that domestic brands have gained recognition from leading new energy vehicle companies.

Data shows that in 2025, China's rubber tire production reached 1.207 billion units, with 702 million units exported, including 130 million TBR (Toyota Braised) tires, achieving both volume and price increases. Chinese tire manufacturers are accelerating their transition from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing."

Currently, Chinese tire companies hold approximately 35% of the global market share, but their share in the high-end PCR original equipment market is still less than 10%, with foreign brands still capturing nearly 80% of the profits. The structural problem of "low-end oversupply and high-end lack" persists.

However, the trend is already clear: from TBR's complete overtaking to PCR's continuous breakthroughs, from cost-effectiveness-driven to technology innovation-led, Chinese tires are constantly shedding their "low-end label" and reshaping the global industry landscape.