China’s September NEV retail sales hit second-highest level ever

China’s record breaking NEV retail sales

China’s passenger New Energy Vehicle (NEV) retail sales hit 1.296 million units in September 2025. The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) reported this large volume. This figure was a significant jump, 15.5% higher than NEV retail sales in September 2024. This shows strong public interest in electric cars.

This September 2025 total was the second-highest monthly NEV retail volume ever. Only the December 2024 wholesale record, at 1.3 million units, was higher. Sales also rose month-over-month, increasing by 16.2% compared to NEV retail sales in August 2025.

Overall passenger car market in September 2025

The total retail sales for all passenger cars in China reached 2.241 million units in September 2025. This figure made September an overall record high for total car sales. This total represents a clear growth of 6.3% compared to the total passenger vehicle sales for September 2024.

Reflecting this overall success, the total sales volume of 2.241 million units in September 2025 was also 11% higher than the total passenger car sales recorded in the previous month, August 2025. Domestic Chinese self-owned brands experienced a 13% year-over-year increase in retail sales during the month.

NEV market share in September 2025

The retail sales penetration rate for New Energy Vehicles in China hit 57.8% in September 2025. This means over half of the passenger cars sold that month were NEVs. This rate marked a 5 percentage point jump from the NEV penetration rate in September 2024.

Building on the substantial sales volume, the market share of NEVs also grew month-over-month, rising by 2.6 percentage points from the rate reported in August 2025. This strong performance was primarily due to local companies. Domestic Chinese brands led the way, as their NEV retail penetration reached an impressive 78.1% in September.

Wholesale sales performance in September 2025

China’s passenger NEV wholesale sales reached a massive 1.50 million units in September 2025. This wholesale figure represents the car manufacturers’ sales to dealers. Sales volume showed strong year-over-year growth of 24.6% compared to NEV wholesale sales from September 2024.

Mirroring the retail strength, the September 2025 wholesale figure also saw a month-over-month rise, increasing by 15.0% compared to the volume in August 2025. The overall wholesale penetration rate for NEVs reached 53.5% in September. This market share grew by 4.4 percentage points compared to the rate seen a year earlier.

Cumulative NEV retail sales Jan Sep 2025

The total number of passenger NEVs sold at retail from January through September 2025 reached 8.866 million units. This high number shows fast growth in the electric car market. This total represents a significant 24.4% increase in sales compared to the same nine-month period in 2024.

Extending this performance year-to-date, for the first nine months, total cumulative sales of all passenger vehicles reached 17.005 million units. This total volume shows an overall market increase of 9.2% year-on-year. This confirms that NEVs are the main reason for growth in the overall passenger vehicle market 2025.

Cumulative NEV wholesale sales Jan Sep 2025

The total wholesale volume for passenger NEVs from January to September 2025 reached 10.444 million units. This volume represents what car makers sold to dealers. This large cumulative number showed a massive growth of 31.9% compared to the wholesale volume in the same nine months of 2024.

Consistent with the retail trend, wholesale sales for all passenger vehicles for the first nine months 2025 reached 20.845 million units. The total market growth was 13.1% year-over-year. This shows manufacturers are preparing for strong demand by purchasing more NEVs to sell to customers.

Export figures for NEVs in September 2025

China exported a total of 211,000 New Energy Vehicles in September 2025. This substantial number nearly doubled NEV exports from September 2024. This growth was measured as a 96.5% year-on-year increase in NEV exports for the month.

Beyond domestic sales, NEVs made up a significant 40.1% of all passenger vehicle exports in September 2025. This share was 15 percentage points higher than their share in the same month in 2024. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 66% of all NEV exports for September.

Official projection for 2025 NEV sales

Eight government departments announced a large sales projection for 2025. The official forecast expects NEV sales to reach around 15.5 million units for the entire year. This target indicates that the government aims to increase NEV sales by approximately 20% in 2025 compared to 2024.

Based on this strong performance, the total vehicle sales projection 2025 is set at about 32.3 million units. Expected NEV sales of 15.5 million units are set to be nearly half of this total. This illustrates the government’s significant interest in the electric car market, as reflected in its total projected sales volume.

Government official statement on market performance

Chen Shihua, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), commented on the sales pace. He said overall market performance for 2025 will likely “surpass expectations.” This statement demonstrates strong confidence in the overall growth of the car market.

Following this official outlook, based on the rapid growth rate, CAAM predicts a new, higher target for the year. They predict that total NEV sales for the year 2025 will exceed 15.5 million units. This is a higher sales forecast than the government’s target of 15.5 million units.

NEV sales share of global market Jan Aug 2025

China accounted for a dominant share of the global NEV market in the first eight months of 2025. China’s sales comprised nearly 68% of all global New Energy Vehicle sales. Cui Dongshu of the CPCA confirmed this fact. A total of 13.82 million NEVs were sold worldwide during this time.

Illustrating this dominance, China’s large market share demonstrates its lead in the electric vehicle sector. NEVs only accounted for 11.1% of total auto sales in the United States during the same period. In Germany, the penetration rate of NEVs was 26.4%. This shows a big difference in market acceptance compared to China.

Half year sales in 2025 H1

In the first half of 2025 (January to June), NEV sales in China reached 5.458 million units. This volume showed strong growth compared to NEV sales in the first half of 2024. The growth measured was a significant 33% increase in sales.

Contributing to the year-to-date total, for the first time in history, NEV penetration of the passenger vehicle market reached a new milestone. The market share for NEVs surged to 50.1% in the first half of 2025. This means that half of all new passenger vehicles sold in the year’s first six months were electric vehicles.

Breakdown of H1 2025 NEV sales

During the first half of 2025, Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales grew fastest among NEVs. BEV sales increased by 37.6% compared to the same period in 2024. The total BEVs sold reached 3.330 million units during the first six months.

Focusing on the components of H1 growth, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) grew by 26.5% in the first half of 2025. The total volume of PHEVs sold reached 2.128 million units. BEVs comprised 61% of all NEV sales in H1 2025, while PHEVs accounted for the remaining 39% share.

Cumulative NEV sales at the end of 2024

China’s total annual New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sales were massive, exceeding 11 million units in 2024. This single-year total was larger than the total number of NEVs sold worldwide just two years earlier. This fact highlights the immense size and rapid growth of China’s domestic market.

China’s 2024 NEV sales reached 12.87 million, and NEVs accounted for 40.9% of new-car sales. According to IEA data, this increase in sales has changed the roads. The IEA estimates that 1 in 10 cars driving on Chinese roads is electric.

Want to see how China’s pushing past rivals in autonomous tech? Check out China looks to Europe to grow self-driving tech.

NEV sales in July and August 2025

Retail sales for passenger NEVs reached 1.003 million units in July 2025. This sales figure marked a 14% increase compared to sales recorded in July 2024. This month, the NEV retail penetration rate, or market share, surpassed 54% of all passenger vehicle sales.

Following July’s success, in August 2025, total NEV retail sales were higher, reaching 1.101 million units. This volume showed a more minor, but still substantial, 7.5% year-on-year increase compared to August 2024. The penetration rate of NEVs in retail sales for just the first ten days of August was 57.9%.

Curious which models are putting China’s automakers on the global map? Dive into China-built cars that might be turning heads worldwide.

What do you think is driving this surge in NEV sales? Share your thoughts below.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.