Tesla's deliveries in China in January were down 36 percent from 41,926 vehicles in December.

Tesla sold 66,051 China-made vehicles in January, including 39,208 vehicles exported, according to data released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

That means Tesla delivered 26,843 vehicles in China in January, down 35.98 percent from 41,926 in December, but up 38.75 percent from 19,346 in the same month last year.

Retail sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China were 332,000 in January, according to the CPCA. This means that Tesla's share of the Chinese NEV market was 8.09 percent in January, up from 6.55 percent in December.

Looking at exports from the Shanghai plant, the number was up 182.68 percent from 13,870 units in December, but down 3.19 percent from 40,499 units in the same month last year.

Including exports, Tesla's sales of 66,051 China-made vehicles in January were up 18.38 percent from 55,796 in December and up 10.37 percent from 59,845 in the same month last year.

Tesla's Shanghai plant, which makes the Model 3 sedan as well as the Model Y crossover, is an export hub for the electric vehicle (EV) giant in addition to deliveries to local consumers.

The EV maker's pattern is to produce cars for export in the first half of the quarter and for the local market in the second half.

Including exports, China-made Model Y sales in January were 40,903 units and Model 3 sales were 25,148 units. A breakdown of January deliveries in China for these two models is not yet available.

Tesla significantly lowered the prices of the full Model 3 and Model Y lineup in China on January 6, its second price cut in China in three months, and the January numbers reflect its sales performance after the price cut.

It is worth noting that January 21-27 was the Chinese New Year holiday, when production and sales activity at car companies typically slows down significantly around the one-week period.

In January, retail sales of NEVs in China were 332,000 units, down 4.32 percent year-on-year and down 48.13 percent from December, according to data released today by the CPCA.

Sales of all passenger vehicles in China were 1.29 million units in January, down 38 percent year-on-year and down 40 percent from December.