China’s auto production and sales both surpassed 15 million units for the first time in the first half of 2025, with new-energy vehicles (NEVs) leading the growth, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on Thursday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
China’s auto production reached 15.62 million units in the first half of 2025, rising 12.5 percent year-on-year, while sales hit 15.65 million units, up 11.4 percent from a year earlier, marking the first time both figures have surpassed 15 million units in the January-June period, data from the CAAM showed.
The NEV production stood at 6.97 million units in the first half of 2025, up 41.4 percent year-on-year, while NEV sales reached 6.94 million units, an increase of 40.3 percent. NEVs accounted for 44.3 percent of China’s total new car sales during the period, according to CAAM.
A representative from the CAAM said on Thursday that the domestic market has seen notable improvement thanks to the continued effectiveness of the car trade-in policy, with year-on-year growth exceeding 10 percent, providing strong support for the overall expansion of the auto market. NEVs have maintained rapid growth, with their market share continuing to rise, driving the industry’s accelerated transformation and upgrading, according to China Media Group (CMG).
Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), told the Global Times on Thursday that China’s auto exports are currently seeing robust momentum, while domestic sales also recorded strong growth in the first half of the year, thanks to supportive policies. He noted that with domestic vehicle sales surpassing 15 million units in the first half, a solid foundation has been laid for continued growth in the second half, with full-year sales expected to exceed 33 million units—a goal well within reach.
Cui pointed out that whole-vehicle exports remain the primary mode of outbound shipments. The recent addition of a large number of new vessels has significantly boosted shipping capacity, easing previous bottlenecks in domestic logistics and driving rapid expansion of China’s automotive export capabilities. With improved transport capacity, Chinese automakers can now deliver larger volumes of vehicles to overseas ports more efficiently and sell them at relatively competitive prices, fuelling substantial sales growth.
He added that under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has made notable progress in expanding shipping capacity, developing rail transport, and establishing overseas factories, all of which have significantly enhanced the country’s export capacity and contributed to strong overseas sales performance.
Meanwhile, retail sales of passenger vehicles in China reached 2.084 million units in June, up 18.1 percent year-on-year and up 7.6 percent month-to-month, according to data released by the CPCA on Tuesday.
According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, as of May 31, a total of 4.12 million applications had been submitted for vehicle trade-in subsidies, the association said.
Going forward, the continued rollout of the trade-in policy, along with a steady stream of new product launches, will help sustain growth in auto consumption, Cui said.
