Sales of new Tesla vehicles in China dropped 58% from the previous week and 69% year-over-year during the week of May 5 to 11, according to insurance registration data shared on Chinese social media on Tuesday.
The company sold 3,070 vehicles last week, including 1,300 units of the refreshed Model Y and 1,800 Model 3s.
Despite the ramped up production, sales of the new Model Y fell 75.4% from the first week of May while Model 3 registrations dropped 10%.
After the first six weeks of the quarter, vehicle sales in China are down 15.1% compared to the same period in early 2025, and 25.3% lower than a year ago.
The company typically prioritizes exports from its Shanghai factory before shifting focus to domestic deliveries.
In mid-April, Tesla stopped taking new orders for both the Model S and the Model X due to the recently imposed tariffs. The models, which will get an updated version later this year, are exclusively produced at the Fremont factory in California, exposing them to the increased tariffs.
However, China and the U.S. held talks in Geneva over the weekend and announced on Monday that both countries will significantly reduce tariffs for a 90-day period.
The Elon Musk-led brand registered 58,459 vehicles in China last month, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed on Wednesday. The figures include models sold in China and overseas exports.
April sales were down 5.96% from the 62,167 vehicles recorded a year ago. From January 1 to April 30, the brand sold 231,213 vehicles, including overseas exports from its Shanghai plant, a 18.3% decrease from 283,043 year over year.
In Europe, the U.S. company’s sales have been plunging from the beginning of the year, with April registrations following the tendency. In Sweden, Tesla sales sank 81% year over year, while in France and in the UK the brand registered a 59.4% and 62.1% drop, respectively.
BYD continued to lead the market with 68,000 vehicles sold last week in China, of which 3,000 are from its sub-brand Denza. Year to date, the group sold 967,800 vehicles — both hybrid and fully electric — in China.
Li Auto registered 8,200 units last week, a decline from the 11,400 units sold in the prior week. Leapmotor recorded 7,800 vehicles, while Xiaomi sold 5,200 SU7s.
As of the time of writing, Tesla shares are trading 1.20% lower during Tuesday’s pre-market session. The stock surged nearly 7% on Monday to $318.38.
