ChinaCarAPI: Python client for Chinese car data (Dongchedi API, Che168 API)

Official Python client for ChinaCarAPI, a REST China car API for the Chinese used-car market. One API for Dongchedi (懂车帝) and Che168 (车168, Autohome): 400,000+ listings with price, mileage, first registration, seller, photos, inspection reports (accident, flood, fire, EV battery), price history and export status. Delivered in English, with the original Chinese kept alongside.

Built for car exporters, importers, dealers and marketplaces that need reliable Chinese car data without scrapers, captchas, proxies or Chinese-language parsing.

A ChinaCarAPI key is required. The API and its data are a paid service. This client only works with a key from chinacarapi.com (5-day trial available). EnCarAPI keys with the China add-on work as well.

Install

pip install chinacarapi

Requires Python 3.8+.

This package is the China entry point of encarapi, the official client for Korean and Chinese used car data. Need both markets? Use EnCarAPI(key) with client.korea and client.china (exported here as well).

Quick start

from chinacarapi import ChinaCarAPI

# Get your key at https://chinacarapi.com
client = ChinaCarAPI("YOUR_API_KEY")  # or set CHINACARAPI_KEY

# Export-ready BYDs, cheapest first, from both marketplaces (duplicates merged)
page = client.catalog(make="BYD", export_ready=True, sort="price_asc", limit=25)

# Full record: price history, photos, seller, alsoListedOn (same car on the other marketplace)
car = client.vehicle(page["results"][0]["id"])

# Inspection report: accident, flood and fire checklist, battery data for EVs
report = client.inspection(page["results"][0]["id"])

Without a valid key every call raises a ChinaCarAPIError pointing to chinacarapi.com. There is no free data in this package, only a clean client for the paid API.

API

Method	Endpoint	Description
client.catalog(**filters)	GET /api/catalog	Search and filter listings (Dongchedi + Che168)
client.vehicle(id)	GET /api/vehicle/:id	Full record of one car
client.inspection(id)	GET /api/inspection/:id	Inspection report
client.bulk(ids)	POST /api/vehicle/bulk	Up to 500 records per call
client.changes(since=... | cursor=...)	GET /api/catalog/changes	Change feed: new cars, price changes, removals
client.export_csv()	GET /api/catalog/export	Full catalog as CSV
client.enums()	GET /api/enums	Makes, fuels, cities, sources with counts
client.models(make)	GET /api/models	Models of one make

Catalog filters: source (dongchedi, che168), duplicates=include, make, model, year_min/year_max, reg_year_min/reg_year_max, price_min/price_max (CNY), mileage_max, city, fuel, has_report, export_ready (China's 180-day rule for used-car exports), updated_since, sort, page, limit, lang="zh" for the original Chinese values.

Full reference (OpenAPI 3.1, 13 languages): chinacarapi.com/documentation

Keeping a local copy

first = client.changes(since="2026-10-01T00:00:00Z")
# store first["nextCursor"], then poll every few minutes:
nxt = client.changes(cursor=first["nextCursor"])

Why ChinaCarAPI?

• Dongchedi API and Che168 API in one: the same car listed on both is merged and linked.
• English output: official English make and model names, translated trims and inspection findings.
• Export status: ready-made filter for China's 180-day rule on used-car exports.
• Plans from €99/month, 5-day trial for €9.99. EnCarAPI (Korea) customers add China from €39/month.

Korean car data: see EnCarAPI and its Python client.

License

MIT for this client. The data is only available through a ChinaCarAPI subscription.