September 2025 was a record-breaking month for China’s auto market. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), retail passenger car sales reached 2.241 million units, up 6.3% year-on-year, surpassing the previous September 2017 record by 50,000 units.
The new energy vehicle (NEV) segment showed particularly strong growth: sales exceeded 1.3 million units, including over 800,000 BEVs, up 28% year-on-year.
Key players included:
– BYD, capturing more than 35% of the NEV market;
– Tesla China, selling over 80,000 vehicles despite rising competition;
– newcomers Xpeng and Li Auto, which grew sales by 40–50%.
Experts attribute the surge to:
– Government subsidies for EV purchases, extended until the end of 2025.
– Seasonal factors: September is traditionally considered the “golden month” for sales in China.
– Export boom: China exported over 500,000 vehicles in September, setting a new record.
China thus reaffirmed its status as the world’s largest auto market and the main driver of the global EV transition.