Tesla’s China Retail Sales Fell to 8,817 in October, the Lowest Since July 2022, CPCA Data Show

Tesla sold only 8,817 vehicles to buyers in China in October, its lowest monthly retail total there since July 2022, according to figures from the China Passenger Car Association compiled by CnEVPost and Electrek.

The CPCA reported that Tesla’s Shanghai operation wholesaled 67,829 vehicles in October, up 10.3% from a year earlier. Of those, 59,012 were exports, CnEVPost said, leaving 8,817 for the domestic market — down 66.10% year over year and 86.40% from September’s 64,837. Exports accounted for 87% of wholesale volume, a record, ahead of the previous high of 76.01% in October 2022. Retail sales accounted for the remaining 13%. Electrek noted that July 2022, when retail sales were 8,461, came during a partial shutdown for line upgrades; this time the factory ran normally and shipped most of what it built overseas.

Almost all of the October domestic sales were Model Ys (7,807), with 1,010 Model 3s, Electrek reported, citing CnEVPost. Exports rose 66.27% from a year earlier and 93.30% from September to their second-highest month on record, behind 66,330 in July, CnEVPost said. Wholesale volume still fell 28.88% from September to the lowest since February, even as it marked a 10th straight year-over-year increase. Over the first 10 months, Tesla’s China retail sales totaled 389,905, down 15% from a year earlier, while Shanghai exports were 420,984, up 101.28%, CnEVPost reported.

The China EV market was also softer, but not by as much. CnEVPost put October passenger NEV retail sales at 1,109,000, down 13.7%, including 770,000 battery-electric vehicles, down 5.3%. Electrek, citing CPCA preliminary data, put NEV retail at 1.148 million, down 10%, and said the overall passenger-car market was down 25%. Tesla’s domestic drop was 66%. CnEVPost calculated Tesla’s share of China’s NEV retail market at 0.80%, down from 2.03% a year earlier, and its battery-electric share at 1.15%, down from 3.20%. Electrek noted Tesla often favors exports early in a quarter and that last October was also weak before a late-year rebound, but said October 2026 was still less than half of this year’s previous first-month-of-quarter low.