China’s PV retail sales fall by 21% in April
Key takeaways
- Retail sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) declined by 7% to 849,000 units last month, with BEV sales rising by 2.4% to 579,000 units, while PHEV sales fell by over 25% to 192,000 units.
- Exports continued to grow strongly last month, rising by 81% to 769,000 units, driven by a 112% surge in overseas shipments of NEVs to 406,000 units.
- The Chinese domestic light passenger vehicle market is struggling following the recent withdrawal of some government subsidies and tax exemptions for new energy vehicles (NEVs).
China’s PV retail sales fall by 21% in April Global Data Tue, May 12, 2026 at 4:18 PM GMT+7 2 min read Retail sales of light passenger vehicles in China, including sedans, MPVs, and SUVs, continued to decline sharply in April 2026, falling by over 21% to 1.384 million units from 1.780 million units a year earlier, according to data compiled by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Retail sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) declined by 7% to 849,000 units last month, with BEV sales rising by 2.4% to 579,000 units, while PHEV sales fell by over 25% to 192,000 units.
Exports continued to grow strongly last month, rising by 81% to 769,000 units, driven by a 112% surge in overseas shipments of NEVs to 406,000 units.
The Chinese domestic light passenger vehicle market is struggling following the recent withdrawal of some government subsidies and tax exemptions for new energy vehicles (NEVs). The economy expanded by a better than expected 5.0% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, after growth slowed to 4.5% in the previous quarter, driven mainly by strong exports despite the import tariff hikes by the US last year. Consumer spending picked up slightly in the first quarter, helped by recent government stimulus measures, but growth remained sluggish at 2.4% year-on-year.