Retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China reached 249,000 units in August, up 167.5 percent year-on-year and up 12.0 percent from July, according to data released Wednesday by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

(Graphic by CnEVPost)

Wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China reached 304,000 units in August, up 202.3 percent year-on-year and 23.7 percent from July.

Retail sales of new energy vehicles in China from January to August were 1,479,000 units, up 202.1 percent from a year earlier, the data showed.

The sales performance of new energy vehicles contrasts sharply with that of traditional fuel vehicles, realizing the substitution effect on fuel vehicles and pulling the pace of the car market's transition to new energy, the CPCA said.

Retail penetration of NEVs reached 17.1 percent

Retail penetration of new energy vehicles in China, their share of total sales of all vehicles, reached 17.1 percent in August, the CPCA said.

In January-August the ratio was 11.6 percent, a significant increase from the 2020 penetration rate of 5.8 percent, the data showed.

In August, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles among local brands reached 35 percent and 10 percent among luxury vehicles, while the penetration rate of new energy vehicles among mainstream joint venture brands was only 2.8 percent, the CPCA said.

Wholesale penetration of NEVs reached 20.1 percent

In wholesale sales, China's new energy vehicle penetration rate was 20.1 percent in August, the data showed.

The ratio was 12.8 percent from January to August, a significant increase from 5.8 percent in 2020, the CPCA said.

In August, the penetration rate of wholesale sales of new energy vehicles among local brands was 35 percent, 24.1 percent among luxury vehicles and only 2.7 percent among mainstream joint venture brands.

Wholesale sales of pure electric vehicles in August were 249,000 units, up 200.4 percent year-on-year.

Sales of plug-in hybrid models were 55,000 units, up 211.3 percent year-on-year.

Sales of premium EV models grew strongly in August, the CPCA said.

Wholesale sales of A00 models reached 83,000, with a 33 percent share of pure EVs; A-class EVs accounted for 27 percent of the pure EV market share; and B-class EVs reached 61,000 units, up 23 percent from July, with a 24 percent share of the pure EV market.

Explosive growth in exports

China's new energy vehicle exports showed explosive growth in August, with China exporting 31,379 units and SAIC Passenger Cars' new energy exports 4,074 units, the CPCA said.

exported 781 units in August, and Aiways exported 103 units.

So far in 2021, Belgium is the largest export destination for Chinese cars, the CPCA said.