Tesla Model Y retail sales in China were 14,184 units in January, while Model 3 sales were 12,659 units.

The Model Y lost its spot as the best-selling premium SUV in China to the Mercedes-Benz GLC in January, with the majority of the China-made Tesla model being exported.

The Model Y sold 14,184 units at retail in China in January, placing it No. 2 on the list of top-selling premium SUVs in China with a starting price above RMB 300,000 ($44,250), according to a ranking released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

The Mercedes-Benz GLC sold 14,317 units in China in January, narrowly edging out the Model Y for the top spot on the list. Sales of the Mercedes-Benz SUV were down 35.9 percent year-on-year.

The Model Y topped the list of best-selling premium SUVs in China in December and for the full year 2022 with 29,387 and 315,314 units sold, respectively.

Model Y sales in China were down 13.29 percent in January compared to 16,358 units in the same month last year and down 51.73 percent compared to 29,387 units in December.

The Li Auto Li L9 ranked fourth in the premium SUV sales ranking with 7,996 retail units in January. the Li Auto Li L8 ranked sixth with 6,099 units.

The Tesla Model Y ranked third in the new energy SUV ranking. BYD Song ranked first with 49,709 units and BYD Yuan Plus ranked second with 14,342 units.

Li Auto Li L9 and Li Auto Li L8 were fifth and sixth, respectively, and Xpeng G9 was 14th with 2,249 units.

For Tesla, the Shanghai plant, which produces the Model 3 as well as the Model Y, is an export hub for the electric vehicle giant in addition to deliveries to local consumers.

Tesla delivered 26,843 vehicles in China in January, and the Shanghai plant exported 39,208 units, according to data released yesterday by the CPCA.

Including exports, China-made Model Y sales in January were 40,903 units and Model 3 sales were 25,148 units. This means that the Model Y exported 26,719 units and the Model 3 exported 12,489 units in January.

The Model 3 sold 12,659 units at retail in China in January, placing it fourth in the list of best-selling new energy sedans. The Tesla sedan is priced below RMB 300,000 and is not included in the CPCA's high-end sedan ranking.

The Nio ET5 sold 5,795 units in January, placing it ninth on the list of top-selling new energy sedans.