This was partly due to Tesla accelerating deliveries in China toward year-end so consumers could take advantage of more favorable tax policies in 2025.
For the full year 2025, Tesla's retail sales in China totaled 625,698 units, a year-on-year decrease of 4.78%.
(File photo shows a Tesla Model 3. Image credit: CnEVPost)
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) achieved its highest-ever retail sales in China last month as it allocated more local production capacity for deliveries in the country toward year-end.
The US electric vehicle (EV) maker sold 93,843 vehicles at retail in China in December, surpassing the previous record of 82,927 set in December 2024, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
Monthly retail sales rose 13.16% year-on-year and increased 28.30% compared to November. This was partly due to Tesla accelerating deliveries in China toward year-end so consumers could benefit from more favorable purchase tax policies in 2025.
China's new energy vehicle (NEV) retail sales came in at 1,337,000 units in December, including 782,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
This translates to Tesla holding a 7.02% share of China's NEV market and a 12.00% share of the BEV segment last month.
Tesla's Share in China's NEV Market 2023-2025
Month
2023
2024
2025
January
8.09%
5.97%
4.53%
February
7.73%
7.77%
3.90%
March
14.12%
8.80%
7.48%
April
7.58%
4.66%
3.17%
May
7.33%
6.87%
3.78%
June
11.16%
6.92%
5.53%
July
4.90%
5.27%
4.12%
August
9.04%
6.18%
5.19%
September
5.83%
6.43%
5.52%
October
3.73%
3.39%
2.03%
November
7.79%
5.80%
5.54%
December
8.02%
6.37%
7.02%
Tesla's share in China's NEV market
2023
2024
2025
Tesla's Share in China's BEV Market 2023-2025
Month
2023
2024
2025
January
12.56%
10.61%
7.84%
February
11.50%
13.64%
6.27%
March
20.02%
14.58%
11.47%
April
10.80%
7.76%
5.14%
May
10.96%
11.15%
6.36%
June
16.53%
12.02%
9.30%
July
7.46%
9.59%
6.69%
August
13.18%
10.88%
8.33%
September
8.70%
11.21%
8.66%
October
5.78%
6.02%
3.20%
November
11.87%
9.70%
8.84%
December
12.68%
10.88%
12.00%
Tesla's share in China's BEV market
2023
2024
2025
Tesla operates a Shanghai factory producing the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, serving both domestic customers and functioning as an export hub.
The company exported 3,328 vehicles from China in December, down 69.30% year-on-year and down 75.45% month-on-month.
Tesla Shanghai Plant Monthly Exports 2023-2025
Month
2023
2024
2025
January
39,208
31,566
29,535
February
40,479
30,224
3,911
March
12,206
26,666
4,701
April
35,886
30,746
29,728
May
35,187
17,358
23,074
June
19,468
11,746
10,115
July
32,862
27,890
27,269
August
19,465
23,241
26,040
September
30,566
16,121
19,287
October
43,489
27,795
35,491
November
16,928
5,366
13,555
December
18,334
10,839
3,328
Tesla Shanghai plant monthly exports
2023
2024
2025
Including both domestic sales and exports, Tesla China's wholesale volume reached 97,171 units in December, representing a 3.63% year-on-year increase and a 12.08% month-on-month rise.
Tesla China Monthly Sales (Exports Included) 2023-2025
Month
2023
2024
2025
January
66,051
71,447
63,238
February
74,402
60,365
30,688
March
88,869
89,064
78,828
April
75,842
62,167
58,459
May
77,695
72,573
61,662
June
93,680
71,007
71,599
July
64,285
74,117
67,886
August
84,159
86,697
83,192
September
74,073
88,321
90,812
October
72,115
68,280
61,497
November
82,432
78,856
86,700
December
94,139
93,766
97,171
Tesla China monthly sales (exports included)
2023
2024
2025
Model Y wholesale sales reached 66,189 units in December, up 6.78% year-on-year and up 19.10% month-on-month.
Model 3 wholesale sales totaled 30,982 units in December, down 2.52% year-on-year and 0.46% month-on-month.
2025 Full-Year performance
For the full year 2025, Tesla's retail sales in China totaled 625,698 units, down 4.78% year-on-year.
Its China retail sales contributed 38.24% of its global deliveries of 1,636,129 units.
Exports from the Shanghai factory for the full year 2025 were 226,034 units, down 12.92% year-on-year.
Tesla China's wholesale sales in 2025 totaled 851,732 units, a year-on-year decline of 7.08%.
Model Y wholesale sales in 2025 were 538,994 units, down 3.18% year-on-year.
Model 3 wholesale sales in 2025 amounted to 312,738 units, a year-on-year decrease of 13.12%.
Phate is the founder and main author of CnEVPost. He has been reporting since 2009, mainly on macroeconomics and capital markets. He started his career at China Daily and Reuters. Contact via: phate@cnevpost.com.