Sales of 'new energy' vehicles in China, which include both electric and plug-in hybrid cars, registered a 20% reduction in the first twenty-seven days of September compared to the same period in 2025. According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), 827 thousand units were sold at retail.
This decrease accelerated throughout the month. By the 20th, the decline had already reached 9%. Despite this, electrified models performed better than the general market, which suffered a 29% contraction during the period, totaling 1.258 million units.
Consequently, the share of these vehicles in car sales stood at 65.7% in the first 27 days of September, slightly lower than the 67.9% observed up to the 20th. This means that almost two-thirds of new cars sold in China are classified as electric or plug-in hybrid.
The CPCA attributes part of this drop to the comparison base. In September of the previous year, the end of subsidies in certain regions generated high demand, leading monthly sales to a record level. Furthermore, the association points to the change in the date of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday as another relevant factor.
In 2026 year-to-date, retail sales of new energy vehicles amount to 7.5 million units, representing a 13% drop. The total market, on the other hand, shows a 22% decline, totaling 12.97 million units. Wholesale sales, which include exports and represent vehicles sent from factories to dealerships, also lost momentum, registering 1.032 million units in the first 27 days, a 11% decrease. However, for the year, the wholesale electrified sector continues to grow by 7%, reaching 10.81 million units.
For the CPCA, the traditional 'golden September,' known for being a month of strong sales movement in China, has been characterized by a competition for demand that is not growing. Although the small new demand is concentrated in electrified vehicles, gasoline-powered models continue to lose ground in the market.
The Chinese outlook contrasts with the Brazilian scenario. In Brazil, September recorded the highest volume of registrations in history for the month, with hybrids and electrics totaling nearly 62 thousand units between cars and light commercial vehicles, according to Fenabrave data. This volume is more than double that registered a year earlier and corresponds to approximately 23% of the segment, although the Brazilian count includes conventional hybrids, which are not part of the Chinese category.