Plug-in vehicles accounted for 67% of new-car sales in China in September 2026, a record monthly share for the market. The total includes battery-electric cars, which held 45%, and plug-in hybrids, which made up 22%. The shift came during a difficult month for the industry: overall sales fell 28% year on year to around 1.6 million vehicles. Plug-in sales also declined, by 17%, while sales of combustion-only cars dropped 49%. The record share therefore reflects both electrification’s gains and the steeper retreat of conventional models.
For the first nine months of 2026, plug-ins represented 58% of China’s market, including a 39% share for battery-electric vehicles. That BEV figure was already above the 33% share recorded for all of 2025.
The Tesla Model Y led the September model rankings with 50,359 sales, down 2% year on year; the long-wheelbase Model Y L helped support its performance. Geely’s Xingyuan was second at 44,275, followed by the BYD Song at 30,603. The Song total combines electric and plug-in hybrid versions. Fang Cheng Bao’s Tai 7 ranked fourth with 27,544, also combining both powertrains, while BYD’s Yuan Up recorded 22,767. Only two combustion models made the top ten: Toyota’s Corolla Cross and RAV4.
BYD remained well ahead among individual brands, with a 17.2% market share. Leapmotor registered about 78,000 vehicles, up 31%, and reached 6.5%, narrowing the gap with Geely’s 7.1%. By automotive group, BYD led with 21.8%, followed by Geely at 11.8% and SAIC at 8%.