Sales of Chinese-made vehicles, including exports, rose by almost 9% year-on-year to 3.322 million units in October 2025, up from 3.053 million units a year earlier, according to passenger car and commercial vehicle wholesale data compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Domestic sales increased by almost 6% to 2.656 million units, while exports surged by 23% to 666,000 units.
In the first ten months of 2025, total sales of China-made vehicles increased by over 12% to 27.687 million units, including an almost 12% rise in domestic sales to 22.071 million units, while exports rose by close to 16% to 5.616 million units. Overall vehicle production in the country increased by 13% to 27.692 million units year-to-date.
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The domestic vehicle market this year has been driven higher by an increase in government stimulus, including vehicle trade-in incentives and cuts in vehicle purchase taxes, with qualifying new energy vehicles (NEVs) enjoying a 0% sales tax. The market has also responded to strong price competition among domestic vehicle manufacturers and numerous new model launches over the last year.
Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) rose by over 26% to 12.943 million units year-to-date, driven by a 40% surge in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales to 8.321 million units, while plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) sales rose by 14% to 4.622 million units —with growth slowing sharply in the last several months. Domestic NEV sales rose by 24% to 10.929 million units year-to-date, while exports rose by 92% to 2.014 million units.
The Chinese government is expected to reduce its stimulus measures at the end of 2025, with a minimum 5% purchase tax expected to be applied to qualifying NEVs, compared with 10% for conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Overall vehicle deliveries are expected to remain strong in the fourth quarter, ahead of the expected tax changes, with the government forecasting around 32.5 million deliveries in the whole of 2025, including 16 million NEVs, while exports are expected to exceed 6.5 million units.
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By GlobalDataBYD’s global sales fell by 12% to 441,706 units in October, resulting in a 14% rise to 3,701,852 units in the first ten months of 2025, including a 137% jump in overseas sales to 780,976 units. Overall sales of passenger PHEVs declined by almost 3% to 1,827,256 units, while passenger BEV sales surged by 35% to 1,828,462 units, and commercial vehicle sales surged almost fourfold to 46,134 units.
SAIC Motor reported a 20% increase in global sales to 3,647,248units year-to-date, driven by a 35% surge in SAIC-GM-Wuling’s deliveries to 1,325,611 units. SAIC-VW’s sales fell by over 4% to 846,080 units in this period, while SAIC-GM’s sales rebounded by 38% to 433,877 units from depressed levels a year earlier. Overseas sales increased by 2.2% to 862,186 units, while global NEV sales surged by 42% to 1,289,519 units.
Geely Auto, excluding key overseas subsidiaries and joint ventures including Volvo, Polestar and Proton, reported a 44% rise in global sales to 2,477,322 units in the first ten months of 2025, while Chery Automobile’s sales rose by over 13% to 2,288,929 units, with exports also increasing by 13% to 1,062,862units. GAC Group, including its joint ventures with Toyota and Honda, reported an 11% decline to 1,354,384 units, while Great Wall Motor’s sales increased by 10% to 1,066,436 units, with overseas sales rising by 6% to 391,339 units.
Tesla’s Shanghaifactory sales fell by 10% to 667,861 unitsyear-to-date, with retail sales in China falling by 8% to 458,710 units despite the recent launch of the revised Model Y, while exports fell by 14% to 209,151 units.
