Climate

Chart: A record two-thirds of car sales in China are now electric vehicles

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 04/11/2026, 10:35:26 UTC.

Briefings

China's September 2026 car sales saw a record 67% of new vehicles be electric or plug-in hybrid, driven by a 31% drop in combustion-engine sales amid the Hormuz crisis. While domestic NEV sales fell 13% year-on-year, exports of these vehicles doubled in 2026 to date. The shift occurred as petrol prices rose following the conflict, displacing 143 million barrels of oil from the region.

Key points

• In September 2026, 67% of new car sales in China were electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, marking a record high.
• Domestic NEV sales fell 13% year-on-year in September 2026, while combustion-engine sales dropped 31%.

Context

This finding highlights a major shift in China's automotive market during the Hormuz crisis, where rising petrol prices and supply constraints drove a transition to electric vehicles. The data indicates that while the domestic market contracted, Chinese carmakers successfully redirected NEV exports to offset the loss of traditional fuel sales.

Limitations

Data covers only September 2026 and domestic sales; export figures are limited to 2026 to date. Estimates regarding oil displacement and market impact are provided by external analysts and thinktanks, not official government statistics.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 08/11/2026, 09:34:48 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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