Tesla’s Model Y has taken the top spot in China’s SUV ranking, with 54,937 retail units sold in March, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The SUV saw a 38.28% increase in sales from a year earlier and a 115.22% rise from February. The BYD Song came in second with 40,114 units sold, followed by the BYD Yuan Plus with 27,907 units.
The Model Y’s success in China can be attributed to Tesla’s practice of producing cars for export in the first half of each quarter and for the local market in the second half, which has enabled the automaker to deliver more vehicles to Chinese consumers at the end of each quarter. Tesla’s factory in Shanghai produces both the Model Y and Model 3 sedan.
In March, Tesla delivered a total of 76,663 units in China, while exporting 12,206, according to CPCA data released on April 10. The Model 3 saw retail sales of 21,726 units in March, down 16.52% year-on-year but up 158.74% from February. The sedan ranked fifth in the new energy sedan sales rankings for March, with the BYD Qin taking the top spot with 43,230 sales, followed by the BYD Dolphin with 27,687 units.
For the period of January to March, the Model Y ranked second with 94,647 retail sales in China, up 26.7% year-on-year. The BYD Song was the best-selling SUV in China during this period, with 141,415 units sold, up 91.9% year-on-year. The Model 3 sold 42,782 units during this time, up 27.3% year-on-year and ranked fifth in the new energy sedan sales rankings, while the BYD Qin took the top spot with 87,955 units sold.
