China recorded 520,000 retail sales of passenger new-energy vehicles (NEVs) from October 1 to 18, according to China Passenger Car Association data released on October 21. That was 13% fewer than a year earlier and 2% below the corresponding period in September. NEVs made up 65.9% of passenger-car retail sales, up from 61.2% in October 1–11 but short of September’s record 67.0% share.
The year-on-year drop in NEV retail sales was unchanged from the first 11 days of October. September had marked the ninth consecutive month of annual declines; if October also ends lower than a year earlier, the run will reach ten months. NEV retail sales totaled 8.278 million units year to date, down 13% year on year.
Wholesale figures showed a different trend: automakers sold 655,000 NEVs to dealers in the first 18 days, up 5% year on year and 1% from the same period the previous month. NEVs represented 76.8% of passenger-car wholesale volume, compared with 78.1% in October 1–11. Year-to-date NEV wholesale sales were 12.1 million, up 9%.
Across all passenger cars, retail sales reached 789,000 units in the period, down 26% year on year but up 2% from the comparable September days. Daily retail sales in October 12–18 averaged 47,109 units, a 29% annual decline—the steepest weekly drop so far that month. Total passenger-car wholesale sales were 853,000, down 20% year on year.