Sales of Chinese-made vehicles, including exports, rose by almost 10% to 2.59 million units in April 2025 from 2.359 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 rose by almost 12% to 2.07 million units in this period, while exports increased by just 2.6% to 517,000 units.
The Chinese government has strengthened its market stimulus measures this year, including increasing vehicle trade-in and scrappage incentives aimed mainly at driving up new energy vehicle (NEV) sales, while also easing local purchasing restrictions. The country’s vehicle market has also responded to strong price competition among domestic manufacturers and new model launches. The government is looking to offset the effects of the recent hikes in US import tariffs by stimulating demand for Chinese products elsewhere, including in China, amid sluggish domestic economic growth.
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Overall sales of China-made vehicles increased by 11% to 10.06 million units in the first four months of 2025, from 9.079 million a year earlier, including a 12% rise in domestic sales to 8.123 million units while exports rose by 6% to 1.937 million units. Overall sales of passenger vehicles increased by more than 12% to 8.641 million units, while commercial vehicle sales rose by just 2% to 1.418 million units.
Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) rose by 47% to 4.301 million units year-to-date, with battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales rising by 52% to 2.750 million units while plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) sales rose by 37% to 1.548 million units. Domestic NEV sales rose by 46% to 3.658 million units in the first four months of the year, while exports rose by 53% to 642,000 units.
Overall vehicle production in the country rose by almost 13% to 10.175 million units in the first four months of the year compared with 9.011 million in the same period last year.
Manufacturer performances
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By GlobalDataBYD’s global sales rose by 47% to 1,380,893 units in the first four months of 2025, with overseas sales jumping 105% to 285,170 units. Overall sales of passenger PHEVs surged by 49% to 746,585 units, while BEVs rose by 41% to 612,128 units and commercial vehicle sales jumped more than sevenfold to 22,180 units.
SAIC Motor reported an 11% increase in global sales to 1,321,367 units year-to-date, driven by a 45% surge in SAIC-GM-Wuling’s deliveries to 504,000 units. SAIC-VW’s sales dropped by 9% to 310,673 units, while SAIC-GM’s sales declined by 6% to 151,066 units from already-depressed year-earlier levels. Overseas sales fell by 4% to 305,692 units, while global NEV sales rose by 41% to 401,054 units.
Geely Automobile Holdings reported a 49% rise in global sales to 937,936 units in the first four months of 2025, while Chery Automobile’s sales rose by 15% to 820,785 units, including 343,203 exports. GAC Group, including its joint ventures with Toyota and Honda, reported an 10% sales decline to 488,327 units and Great Wall Motor’s sales fell by 4% to 356,868 units.
Tesla’s factory sales fell by 18% to 231,213 year-to-date, with retail sales in China slightly lower at 163,338 units year-to-date – supported by the launch of the revised Model Y, while exports fell by 43% to 67,875 units.
