Tesla exported 50,644 vehicles from its Gigafactory Shanghai factory last month, data released on Thursday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed.
The US giant achieved the second-highest export volume, behind only BYD, which sold 96,859 units overseas. Geely ranked third in exports, with 32,117 vehicles shipped.
Tesla‘s figures from January came about 4,000 units below its strongest monthly export performance ever: 54,504 vehicles in October 2022.
The company, which produces its best-selling Model 3 and Model Y in the country, saw January exports jump 71.5% year-over-year and surge 1,421.8% compared to December 2025 — when the company recorded 3,328 sales overseas.
Last October, the brand began an “intensive production ramp-up” in its Chinese plant, as it pushed for stronger fourth-quarter deliveries in China and across the Asia-Pacific region.
While exports surged, the Elon Musk-led automaker’s January retail sales in China fell to 18,485 units — its lowest figure since November 2022.
Domestic sales dropped 45.2% year over year, from 33,703 deliveries, and 80.3% from last December’s record high of 93,843 units. January is typically a slow month for China’s automotive market, as it coincides with the lead-up to the Chinese New Year holiday.
Tesla China’s Wholesale
According to data released by CPCA a week ago, Tesla China’s wholesale deliveries reached 69,129 units in January, up 9.3% compared to a year ago.
The growth extended a streak that started last November, when the company reversed eight months of annual decreases in the country.
However, sales fell 28.9% from the 97,171 units delivered in December.
The decrease resulted from the seasonal industry slowdown at the beginning of the year, combined with the expiration of the new energy vehicle (NEV) purchase tax exemption at the end of 2025.
The Chinese giant BYD also recorded a 30% year over year decline in January wholesales.
Overall Sales in China
According to the latest CPCA data, China’s wholesale figures reached 1.973 million units in January, representing a 6.2% decline from a year ago.
CPCA data demonstrates that Chinese exports hit a record of 576,000 units last month — a 52.0% jump compared to January 2025.
According to the organization, this showed “continuously improving competitiveness of China’s auto industry globally and sustained strong overseas demand.”
While internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles rose by around 20% to 290,000 deliveries, 286,000 NEVs were exported, doubling year-over-year.
This segment, which includes battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and fuel cell electric vehicles, represented nearly half — 49.7% — of all exports from China.
Specifically, BEVs accounted for 65% of new energy vehicle exports, falling 2% compared to a year ago, whereas 33% were PHEVs — a 1% increase compared to January 2025.
Last year, Chinese exports reached a total of 8.32 million vehicles — a 30% year-on-year rise. Of those, 3.43 million units were NEVs, jumping 70% compared to 2024.
As the Chinese New Year holiday approaches, scheduled for mid-February, CPCA warned that this month will most likely be “the lowest sales month of the year.”
However, the organization estimates that there will be “future export growth”, which is “expected to transition from high-volume growth to qualitative improvement.”
