Sales of Chinese-made vehicles, including exports, rose by over 34% to 2.13 million units in February 2025 from 1.58 million units a year earlier, according to passenger car and commercial vehicle wholesale data compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Domestic sales surged by 40% to 1.69 million units, while export sales increased by 16% to 441,000 units.
The market last month rebounded from weak year-earlier volumes – when sales were held back by the Lunar New Year holidays. The Chinese government stepped up stimulus measures at the beginning of the year to help drive up domestic sales amid sluggish domestic economic growth.
Overall vehicle sales in the first two months of the year increased by 13% to 4.552 million units, from 4.03 million a year earlier, including a 14% rise in domestic sales to 3.64 million units while exports rose by 11% to 911,000 units. Overall sales of passenger vehicles increased by more than 13% to 3.95 million units, while commercial vehicle sales rose by just 5% to 604.000 units. Total vehicle production in the two-month period rose by 16% to 4.55 million units, according to the association.
Sales of Chinese-made new energy vehicles (NEVs), comprising mainly electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), rose by 52% to 1,835,000 units year-to-date – including a 52% rise in domestic sales to 1,554,000 units while exports rose by 54% to 282,000 units. Overall sales of Chinese-made BEVs rose by 53% to 1,117,000 units, while PHEV sales rose by 58% to 718,000 units.
Earlier this year CAAM said it expected total sales of Chinese-made vehicles to rise by 5% to 32.9 million units in 2025, after growing by 4.5% to 31.4 million units in 2024, while NEV sales are forecast to rise by 24% to 16 million units.
Manufacturer performances
BYD’s global sales rose by 90% to 614,679 units year-to-date, with exports jumping by 124% to 133,361 units. Overall sales of passenger PHEVs surged by 124% to 364,400 units, while BEVs rose by 56% to 250,279 units and commercial vehicle sales jumped eightfold to 8,705 units.
SAIC Motor reported a 23% increase in global sales to 559,108 units in the first two months of the year, driven by an 86% surge in SAIC-GM-Wuling’s deliveries to 205,000 units. SAIC-VW’s sales dropped by 13% to 138,150 units, while SAIC-GM’s sales rebounded by 32% to 65,177 units from depressed year-earlier levels. Overseas sales increased by 13% to 136,687 units, while global NEV sales rose by 17% to 147,240 units.
Geely Automobile Holdings reported a 45% rise in sales of its Chinese brands to471,647 units in the first two months of the year, including a 170% surge in BEV sales to 152,195 units while hybrid vehicle sales rose by 57% to 67,309 units. The data do not include sales by its Swedish subsidiary Volvo Cars and by Malaysia’s Proton.
GAC Group, including its joint ventures with Toyota and Honda, reported a14% sales decline to 197,158 units year-to-date, while Great Wall Motor’s sales fell by 9% to 158,816 units.
Tesla’s shipments from its Shanghai plant fell by 28% to 93,926 units in the first two months of the year, with production for the local market down by 14% to 60,480 units while output for export fell by 46% to 33,446 units. The company recently released its revised Model Y to help reverse the decline, as local competition continues to heat up.
