China hits record 67% plug-in share as petrol car sales crash

China's car market set a new electrification record in September 2026, but the headline hides a messier story. According to José Pontes' monthly China EV sales report on CleanTechnica, 67% of all new cars sold had a plug: about 45% battery-electric and 22% plug-in hybrid.

A record built on a shrinking market

This time the share did not rise because more EVs were sold. The overall market shrank 28% year on year to around 1.6 million cars. Plug-in sales also fell, by 17%, but sales of pure combustion cars dropped 49%. CleanTechnica points to high fuel prices and a steady stream of new electric models as the reasons buyers are moving away from petrol.

The record pushed China's plug-in share for 2026 so far up to 58%, four points above the full-year 2025 result. Fully electric cars alone stand at 39%, versus 33% in 2025. Pontes expects the full-year share to end above 60%, with BEVs above 40%.

Combustion cars have not disappeared from the top of the charts, though. Two Toyotas made the overall top 10 in September, the Corolla Cross in 8th and the RAV4 in 10th. That is notable only because all-plug-in top-10 lists have become normal in China in recent months.

September's best-selling plug-ins

The long-wheelbase Model Y L helped Tesla's crossover win the month. BYD's Song is climbing again as its new generation ramps up, and BYD's premium off-roader brand Fang Cheng Bao set a best-of-the-year result with the Tai 7. Among newcomers, the MG 07 fastback delivered 14,577 units in its first month.

Winners and losers

Most manufacturers lost ground. Tesla (-9%) and Xiaomi (-5%) did relatively well in a market where many rivals fell more than 20%. The clear winner was Leapmotor, up 31% to about 78,000 registrations, thanks to new small models such as the A10 and A05. With a 6.5% brand share, it is closing in on Geely (7.1%) for second place behind BYD, which holds 17.2%.

The trend matters outside China too. Chinese brands are pushing exports hard, although Beijing is cutting the VAT rebate on NEV exports. If an EV is on your own shopping list, our guides to home EV chargers and battery care cover the basics.