China's passenger vehicle market posted a modest month-on-month recovery in September 2026, but the traditional "Golden September" sales season proved weaker than usual. Wholesale sales rose 8.6% from August to 2.59 million units but fell 9.5% year on year, while production declined 9.4% year on year to 2.63 million units. Domestic demand remained under pressure amid high fuel prices and limited volume contributions from newly launched NEV models.
The market's structural shift continued. NEV sales increased 11.2% year on year, lifting their penetration rate to 65.1%, while Chinese brands maintained a dominant 77.0% share of wholesale sales.
Exports once again provided a major source of resilience. September shipments reached 920,000 units, up 64.6% year on year, with Chery exporting approximately 205,000 vehicles. BYD, Geely and Leapmotor each more than doubled their exports from a year earlier.
Explore the full presentation for a closer look at September's production and sales performance, powertrain shifts, export momentum and evolving brand landscape.
