Sales of Chinese new energy vehicles (NEVs) increased by 4% year-on-year in December, data released on Monday by China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed.
Last month, a total of 1.57 million NEVs were sold in the world’s largest NEV market, marking it as the sixth time China’s wholesale sales have surpassed one million units.
However, figures declined 8% compared to November.
Over the full year of 2025, cumulative wholesale sales of NEVs surged to 15.33 million units, delivering a notable 25% increase compared to the previous year.
Therefore, the growth targets for NEVs set under the fourteenth Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) were achieved.
The main reason for the increase in December was the dispensation of the purchase tax for NEVs at year-end.
Nonetheless, market trends differed, due to the overlap with adjustments to the vehicle trade-in and replacement policies implemented in a majority of Chinese provinces — according to CPCA.
In preparation for the fifteenth Five-Year Plan, a considerable amount of manufacturers have adjusted NEV production rhythms and reduced inventory.
NEVs include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), as well as fuel cell vehicles.
Growth for EV Brands
According to CPCA, “manufacturers including Tesla, Seres, Nio, FAW Bestune, GAC Toyota, Dongfeng Nissan, and JAC Motors” achieved their highest-ever monthly new energy wholesale sales record last month.
The Elon-Musk led company’s wholesale sales in December were 97,171 units of its Model 3 and Model Y.
Figures rose 3.6% year-over-year and 12.1% month-over-month increase, marking December as the second strongest-ever month, only trailing November 2022.
Nio met the fourth quarter revised delivery target.
In December, the Shanghai-based Group delivered 48,135 vehicles globally — a new monthly record representing a 54.6% increase year-over-year.
December was also the second-highest monthly wholesale sales record for Changan Automobile — with a total of 101,417 units —, Arcfox, FAW Hongqi, and Changan Mazda achieved their second-highest monthly.
Meanwhile, BYD achieved a total of 414,784 NEV wholesale sales.
The Shenzhen-based company exported 133,000 vehicles last month, contributing to an overall NEV vehicles sales increase by 4 percentage points.
“In addition, BYD’s exports of 133,000 vehicles in December, an increase of 75,000 units year-on-year, drove pronounced structural growth in new energy vehicle exports, lifting overall new energy passenger vehicle sales growth by 4 percentage points,” CPCA stated.
Additionally, Geely reached 154,264 NEV wholesale sales, while Chery sold 84,315 units.
