- China's NEV sales rose 13.6% year-on-year to 1.823 million in September, with BEV sales reaching a record 1.277 million.
- NEV exports surged 160% year-on-year, while domestic sales fell 9.4%.
China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales rose 13.6% year-on-year in September, as strong exports continued to offset weakness in the domestic market.
NEV sales, including domestic sales and exports, reached 1.823 million units in September, the highest monthly total this year, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on Monday.
That was up 11.0% from August's 1.643 million units, though year-on-year growth slowed from 17.8%, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
Join us on orNEVs accounted for 61.6% of total vehicle sales, up from 60.6% in August and remaining above 60% for a third consecutive month.
China monthly NEV penetration 2024 2025 2026CAAM's NEV figures cover both passenger and commercial vehicles, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and fuel cell vehicles.
BEVs remained the main driver of growth. September BEV sales reached a record 1.277 million units, up 20.7% year-on-year and 10.0% from August.
China monthly BEV sales 2024 2025 2026PHEV sales totaled 546,000 units, unchanged from a year earlier and up 13.3% from August.
China monthly PHEV sales 2024 2025 2026NEV sales in the first 9 months totaled 12.47 million units, up 11.1% year-on-year and accounting for 53.6% of total vehicle sales.
Exports were the key source of growth. NEV exports reached 571,000 units in September, up 160% year-on-year and 8.6% from August.
China monthly NEV exports 2024 2025 2026That included 352,000 BEVs, up 130% year-on-year, and 219,000 PHEVs, up 220%.
Exports of conventional fuel vehicles rose 12% year-on-year to 482,000 units in September. Based on those figures, NEVs accounted for about 54% of total vehicle exports, exceeding half for a fourth consecutive month.
NEV exports in the first 9 months totaled 4.006 million units, up 130% year-on-year.
The domestic market continued to contract. Domestic NEV sales fell 9.4% year-on-year to 1.252 million units in September, though they rose 12% from August. Sales in the first 9 months totaled 8.466 million units, down 10.6% year-on-year.
China NEV sales excluding exports 2024 2025 2026Domestic passenger NEV sales fell 12.1% year-on-year to 1.142 million units in September, while commercial NEV sales rose 32.6% to 110,000 units.
Despite the decline in domestic sales, NEVs' share of the domestic vehicle market rose to 65.8%. Their share of the domestic passenger vehicle market reached 68.5%.
That reflected a sharp contraction in demand for conventional fuel vehicles. Domestic sales of conventional fuel passenger vehicles fell 47.3% year-on-year to 526,000 units in September, a drop of 473,000 units from a year earlier.
Total passenger vehicle sales came in at 2.588 million units in September, down 9.5% year-on-year but up 8.6% from August. Domestic sales fell 27.4% year-on-year to 1.668 million units, while exports rose 64.2% to 919,000 units.
China monthly car sales 2024 2025 2026Passenger vehicle sales in the first 9 months totaled 19.96 million units, down 6.1% year-on-year. Passenger vehicle exports over the same period rose 70.6% to 7.167 million units.
China's vehicle production and sales edged lower in the first 3 quarters, with weak domestic demand contrasting with booming overseas sales, CAAM said. Multiple factors continued to weigh on the domestic market, with no meaningful improvement so far.
Despite a challenging external environment, exports maintained rapid growth and showed strong resilience, CAAM said.
China September NEV retail sales fall 16.7% as penetration hits record 67%, CPCA data shows - CnEVPostChina's NEV retail sales totaled 1.084 million in September, down 16.7% year-on-year for a ninth consecutive monthly decline.