Gasgoo Munich- Retail sales of passenger cars in China reached 459,000 units from Oct. 1 to 11, 2026, down 24% from a year earlier but up 7% from the same period in September, according to the latest weekly data from the China Passenger Car Association. Year to date, cumulative retail sales stand at 13.79 million units — a 22% annual decline.
Source: China Passenger Car Association
The wholesale market is under pressure as well. Factory shipments totaled 385,000 units over the same 11-day stretch — down 18% from a year ago and 15% lower than the comparable period in September. Year to date, cumulative wholesale volumes stand at 20.12 million units, a 6% decline.
Broken down by week, daily retail sales averaged 33,000 units in the first week of October — a 25% annual drop and a 10% decline from September. Foot traffic recovered somewhat in the second week, pushing daily sales up to 58,000 units. That narrowed the year-on-year decline to 22% and marked a 32% sequential gain. Wholesale volumes followed a similar trajectory. First-week daily shipments averaged 21,000 units, down 32% from a year earlier and 44% from the prior month. In the second week, daily shipments rebounded to 60,000 units — off 7% annually but up 23% sequentially.
New-energy vehicles held up better. Retail sales in the segment reached 281,000 units over the first 11 days of October, down 13% from a year ago and 7% from September. NEV wholesale volumes, meanwhile, totaled 301,000 units — a 6% annual increase but an 11% sequential decline. Year to date, cumulative NEV retail sales stand at 8.04 million units, down 13%, while wholesale volumes have climbed 9% to 11.75 million units.
Penetration rates underscore the shift. From Oct. 1 to 11, NEVs accounted for 61.2% of retail sales and 78.1% of factory shipments.
Looking at the broader trajectory, the CPCA noted that October benefits from a longer effective sales window during the traditional "Golden September, Silver October" peak season, as the Mid-Autumn Festival fell in late September. That has driven a modest, steady recovery in showroom traffic. Even so, elevated global oil prices continue to push up running costs, leaving demand for internal-combustion vehicles unexpectedly weak. First-time buyers are temporarily sidelined, making trade-ins the critical pillar supporting growth. Overall, October's recovery is being driven by a combination of National Day auto shows, local subsidies, and aggressive seasonal promotions from automakers — though the pace of the rebound remains relatively mild.
