China's December new energy passenger vehicle sales set another record, with many consumers buying such models before subsidies are reduced.

(Graphic by CnEVPost)

Wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China reached 505,000 units in December, up 138.9 percent year-on-year and up 17.8 percent from November, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

This includes 423,000 BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and 82,000 PHEVs (plug-in hybrids), accounting for 83.8 percent and 16.2 percent, respectively.

These figures include exports, though China exported less than 8,000 new energy passenger vehicles in December, the data shows.

Wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China from January to December were 3,312,000 units, up 181.0 percent year-on-year, the data show.

Retail sales of new energy passenger cars in China reached 475,000 units in December, up 128.8 percent year-on-year and up 25.4 percent from November.

Retail sales of NEVs from January to December were 2.989 million units, up 169.1 percent year-on-year.

The penetration rate of NEVs in wholesale sales in December was 21.3 percent. In the January-December period, the figure was 15.7 percent, a significant increase from the 2020 penetration rate of 5.8 percent.

In December, NEV penetration among local brands was 35.2 percent and 27.2 percent for luxury vehicles, compared to only 3.7 percent for mainstream joint venture brands.

Wholesale sales of BEVs in December were 423,000 units, up 137.9 percent year-on-year, while plug-in hybrid sales were 82,000 units, up 143.9 percent year-on-year.

Wholesale sales of A00-class EVs were 139,000 units, with a share of 33 percent of all BEVs.

Class A0 was 60,000, accounting for 14 percent of BEV sales.

The share of Class A EVs was 25 percent and the share of Class B EVs was 27 percent.

The penetration of NEVs in China was 22.6 percent of retail sales in December and 14.8 percent in January-December, up from 5.8 percent in 2020.

In December, the penetration rate of NEVs among local brands was 39 percent, luxury vehicles was 32.7 percent and mainstream joint venture brands was only 3.3 percent.

In December, 14 companies exceeded 10,000 units in wholesale sales.

BYD's wholesale sales of 93,338 new energy passenger vehicles in December were higher than Tesla China's 70,847 units and remained the highest wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in China.

SAIC-GM-Wuling's wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles in December were 60,372 units. Other companies with sales over 10,000 included:

Great Wall Motor with 20,926 units, Chery with 20,501 units, Geely with 16,831 units, Xpeng Motors with 16,000 units, SAIC Passenger Vehicle with 14,868 units, GAC Aion with 14,500 units, Li Auto with 14,087 units, FAW-Volkswagen with 11,213 units, Nio with 10,489 units, Changan Automobile with 10,404 units and 10,127 units for Hozon Auto.

China exported less than 8,000 NEVs in December, with the vast majority of supply going to local consumers.

The highest number of NEVs exported in December was SAIC Passenger Vehicle with 5,716 units, followed by Geely with 637 units and BYD with 563 units.

Tesla China exported 245 units in December, with Great Wall Motor at 203 units.

Tesla China sales reached record 70,847 units in Dec