Electric Vehicles Dominate China’s Market as Gasoline Cars Struggle
In a notable shift in the automotive landscape, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have taken center stage in China’s car market, occupying nine of the top ten positions in passenger car sales for August. Notably, the BYD Fang Cheng Bao Ti7, offering both BEV and PHEV versions, was the only non-BEV model in the top tier, with 55% of its sales attributed to its electric variant.
The changing preferences are underscored by the absence of any gasoline-powered models in the top 10 list, with the Toyota Corolla being the highest-ranked internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle at the 13th position, selling 14,675 units. This marks only the second time this year that ICE vehicles have failed to make the top 10 in China.
Geely EX2 Leads the Charge
The Geely EX2 emerged as the best-selling vehicle overall, with 39,651 units sold. Known as Xingyuan locally, this small hatchback competes with the BYD Seagull and the upcoming Volkswagen ID. Polo in Europe.
In the year-to-date rankings from January to August, the Geely EX2 also holds the top spot for Chinese EVs, with 266,166 units sold. It is followed by the Tesla Model Y, with 226,931 units, and the Li Auto i6, with 152,845 units.
| # | Model | Price range (yuan) | Price range (USD) | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geely EX2 | 64,800–94,800 | 9,662–14,135 | 39,651 |
| 2 | Leapmotor A10 | 65,800–86,800 | 9,811–12,944 | 30,652 |
| 3 | Tesla Model Y | 263,500–313,500 | 39,288–46,743 | 29,260 |
| 4 | Fang Cheng Bao Ti7** | 179,800–239,800 | 26,808–35,754 | 23,471 |
| 5 | BYD Atto 2 | 74,800–119,800 | 11,153–17,862 | 22,958 |
| 6 | Tesla Model 3 | 235,500–339,500 | 35,113–50,619 | 20,787 |
| 7 | Changan Nevo Q05 | 79,900–114,900 | 11,913–17,130 | 17,349 |
| 8 | Li Auto i6 | 249,800–269,800 | 37,245–40,227 | 16,979 |
| 9 | BYD Dolphin | 99,800–125,800 | 14,880–18,757 | 16,829 |
| 10 | Xiaomi SU7 | 219,900–303,900 | 32,787–45,311 | 16,518 |
The Leapmotor A10 was the second best-seller with 30,652 units, closely followed by the Tesla Model Y at 29,260 units.
Tesla’s Dual Success
Tesla is the only brand with two models in the top ten. The Model Y SUV ranks third, while the Model 3 sedan is sixth with 20,787 units sold. Interestingly, the Xiaomi SU7 sedan dropped from 4th in July to 10th in August, and the Xiaomi YU7 SUV fell to 19th with 13,635 units sold, despite the general preference for SUVs over sedans in China.
Five ICE models made it into the top 20: Toyota Corolla Cross, Geely Starray, Volkswagen Lavida, Toyota RAV4, and Geely Monjaro. Among these, only the Lavida is a sedan.
Volkswagen Lavida and Nissan Sylphy, once regular top 5 contenders with over 20,000 monthly sales, are now struggling, with Sylphy ranking 23rd with 12,227 units.
BYD has a significant presence with four models in the top 20: Atto 2, Song Ultra, Song Pro, and Sealion 6. Adding the Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 takes their total to five models in the top rankings.
Original Story at carnewschina.com