Tesla’s retail sales in China rebounded sharply in March as seasonal demand improved, with 74,127 electric vehicles sold in the domestic market, up 18.8% from a year earlier, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed on Wednesday.
The U.S. electric vehicle maker sold a total of 78,828 vehicles in China last month, including 4,701 units exported from its Shanghai factory. While total March deliveries were down 11.5% from the same month last year, they rose 156.9% from February, signaling a recovery in demand after a typically slow start to the year.
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The March figures highlight Tesla’s reliance on its China operations, where the company manufactures the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover. According to Tesla’s established production pattern, the Shanghai plant prioritizes exports early in each quarter and shifts to domestic deliveries in the latter half.
Export volume from the Shanghai plant in March declined 82.4% year-on-year but rose 20.2% from February. Meanwhile, Tesla’s wholesale sales of the Model Y, including exports, totaled 49,029 units in March — down 14.9% from a year earlier, but up over 510% from the previous month. Model 3 wholesale sales reached 29,799 units, marking a 5.3% year-on-year decrease and a 31.5% increase from February.
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In March, China’s retail sales of passenger new energy vehicles (NEVs) reached 991,000 units, up 37.9% from a year earlier, while battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales grew 50.9% to 646,000 units. Tesla accounted for 7.5% of NEV and 11.5% of BEV retail sales during the month.
In the first quarter, Tesla’s retail sales in China totaled 134,607 units, up 1.7% year-on-year but down 31.6% compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. These sales made up 39.98% of Tesla’s global deliveries of 336,681 units for the period. Shanghai plant exports in the quarter fell 56.9% year-on-year to 38,147 units.