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 24/10/2026, 00:05:24 UTC.

Briefings

China's September 2026 NEV sales reached a record 67% share of new car sales, driven by a 31% drop in combustion-engine vehicles due to rising petrol prices following the Hormuz crisis. While domestic NEV sales fell 13% year-on-year, exports of NEVs more than doubled in 2026 to date. The crisis displaced 143 million barrels of oil, with analysts noting EVs accounted for 12% of the subsequent decrease in China's oil consumption.

Key points

• September 2026 saw a record 67% of new car sales in China be NEVs, a 61 percentage point increase from 2020.
• Combustion-engine vehicle sales fell 31% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2026, primarily due to rising petrol prices.

Context

Data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) indicates that China's NEV fleet displaced 143 million barrels of oil during the Hormuz crisis. Combustion-engine sales peaked in 2017 and have declined since, with NEVs capturing a record 67% share in September 2026.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to September 2026 data and the first nine months of 2026. Specific export figures are noted as '2026 to date' without a specific end date. Some analyst quotes are attributed to unnamed sources or specific outlets, and estimates regarding oil displacement are provided by thinktanks rather than direct government figures.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 24/10/2026, 00:05:28 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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