A BYD Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 on display at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026. Credit: CnEVPost
- NEVs accounted for 75.1% of passenger vehicle wholesale sales during September 1-6.
- Overall passenger vehicle retail sales fell 19% year-on-year to 210,000 units.
China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) retail sales picked up at the start of September compared with the same period last month, though the broader auto market remained under pressure.
Retail sales of passenger NEVs totaled 150,000 units during September 1-6, up 15% from the same period last month but down 3% year-on-year, according to data released Thursday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
China’s year-to-date NEV retail sales totaled 6.824 million units, down 12% year-on-year.
NEVs accounted for 71.5% of passenger vehicle retail sales in the first week of September, up from 61.6% in the first week of August.
Automakers’ wholesale NEV sales totaled 156,000 units during September 1-6, up 2% year-on-year and 20% from the same period last month.
NEV wholesale penetration reached 75.1%, reflecting continued strength in exports.
Year-to-date NEV wholesale sales totaled 9.934 million units, up 9% year-on-year.
China’s passenger vehicle retail sales totaled 210,000 units during September 1-6, down 19% year-on-year and 1% from the same period last month. Year-to-date retail sales totaled 11.926 million units, down 21%.
Showroom traffic is expected to continue recovering as September marks the start of China’s traditional September-October peak sales season, the CPCA said. An improvement in the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index in August and stable consumer prices provided support for the auto market.
However, sales face a high comparison base. A rush to buy before subsidies expired in some regions in September 2025 pushed retail sales to a record high for that month, weighing on this year’s growth figures.
Automakers’ passenger vehicle wholesale sales totaled 207,000 units, down 21% year-on-year but up 13% from the same period last month. Year-to-date wholesale sales totaled 17.39 million units, down 5%.
Exports remained a key source of support. China’s vehicle exports totaled 1.05 million units in August, up 37% year-on-year but down 4% from July. Exports in the first 8 months reached 7.45 million units, up 51%.
Upstream raw material prices have eased, and industry consensus on curbing excessive competition has strengthened. However, pricing pressure is spreading downstream to finished vehicles, while dealers face mounting operating pressure, the CPCA said.
Tesla returned to sixth place with a 5.0% share, while Leapmotor retained third place and posted the fastest year-on-year growth among the top 10.
($1 = 6.7889 yuan)
