Sales of Chinese-made vehicles, including exports, increased by 3.4% to 3.429 million units in November 2025, after rising by 12% to 3.316 million units in the same month of last year, according to passenger car and commercial vehicle wholesale data compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Domestic sales declined by over 4% to 2.701 million units last month, while exports surged by over 48% to 728,000 units.
In the first eleven months of 2025, total sales of China-made vehicles increased by over 11% to 31.130 million units, including an almost 10% increase in domestic sales to 24.787 million units, while exports rose by almost 19% to 6.343 million units. Overall vehicle production in the country increased by 12% to 31.230 million units year-to-date.
Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) rose by over 31% to 14.780 million units year-to-date, accounting for over 47% of total industry volumes, driven by a 41% surge in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales to 9.491 million units, while plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) sales rose by 17% to 5,274 million units. Domestic NEV sales rose by 23% to 12.465 million units year-to-date, while exports doubled to 2.315 million units.
The domestic vehicle market this year has been driven higher by increased 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. The domestic market has lost significant momentum in recent months, however, reflecting weakening consumer and business sentiment.
Total vehicle sales in 2025, including exports, are expected to exceed the 32.5 million units forecast by the Chinese government, over the full year. CAAM has revised up its full-year export forecast to seven million units, from 6.5 million previously.
GlobalData forecasts total light vehicle production of 32.9 million units in China this year, the total driven up by the still large annual domestic market (subject to the volume pushing price war in NEVs) and the surge in exports.
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.
Manufacturer performances
BYD’s global sales increased by over 11% to 4,182,038 units in the first eleven months of 2025, driven by a 153% surge in overseas sales to 912,911 units. Overall passenger BEV sales rose by 33% to 2,066,002 units, while passenger PHEV sales declined by over 5% to 2,064,637 units, and commercial vehicle sales surged more than threefold to 51,399 units.
SAIC Motor reported a 16% increase in global sales to 4,108,067units year-to-date, driven by a 29% surge in SAIC-GM-Wuling’s deliveries to 1,491,694 units. SAIC-VW’s sales fell by 8% to 936,130 units in this period, while SAIC-GM’s sales rebounded by 31% to 487,250 units from depressed levels a year earlier. Overseas sales increased by 3.4% to 969,397 units, while global NEV sales surged by 39% to 1,498,920 units.
Geely Auto, excluding key overseas subsidiaries and joint ventures including Volvo, Polestar and Proton, reported a 42% rise in global sales to 2,787,750 units in the first eleven months of 2025, while Chery Automobile’s sales rose by over 11% to 2,561,465 units, with exports also increasing by 15% to 1,199,590 units. GAC Group, including its joint ventures with Toyota and Honda, reported an 11% decline to 1,534,000 units, while Great Wall Motor’s sales increased by 9% to 1,199,652 units, with overseas sales rising by 9% to 448,648 units.
Tesla’s Shanghai factory sales fell by 8% to 754,561 units year-to-date, with retail sales in China falling by 7% to 531,855 units despite the recent launch of the revised Model Y, while exports fell by 10% to 222,706 units.
