Tesla Delivers 71,525 Cars in China in September — Signs of Recovery Amid Intense Competition

Tesla’s sales in China are showing signs of life again. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), Tesla sold 71,525 vehicles in China during September 2025 — the company’s second-highest monthly total this year after March.

That figure represents a 25.15% increase month-over-month and only a 0.93% drop year-over-year, narrowing its decline after several months of steeper losses.

Still, this marks seven consecutive months of year-over-year declines in China’s retail market for Tesla.

Key Stats at a Glance

Metric	September 2025	Change
Retail Sales (China)	71,525 units	🔻 0.93% YoY / 🔺 25.15% MoM
Wholesale (incl. exports)	90,812 units	🔺 2.82% YoY / 🔺 9.16% MoM
Exports	19,287 units	🔺 19.64% YoY
Model Y Sales	59,907 units	—
Model 3 Sales	30,905 units	—
NEV Market Share (China)	5.52%	—
BEV Market Share (China)	8.66%	—
Q3 China Retail Sales	169,294 units	🔻 6.92% YoY
YTD (Jan–Sept)	432,704 units	🔻 5.97% YoY

What’s Driving the Numbers

Tesla’s rebound in September likely reflects a mix of end-of-quarter demand pushes, seasonal promotions, and smoother logistics out of the Shanghai Gigafactory, which serves both the domestic and export markets.

The Model Y remains Tesla’s top-selling vehicle in China, accounting for nearly 60,000 of the total September deliveries — more than three times the Model 3.

While China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) market grew 15.5% YoY in September to 1.296 million units, Tesla’s share stood at 5.52% of total NEV sales and 8.66% of all BEVs. This suggests that while competition is fierce, Tesla remains a top foreign contender.

Challenges Still Linger

Despite the strong September, Tesla’s broader 2025 trend remains challenging:

• Seven straight months of annual declines in retail sales

• Year-to-date drop of nearly 6% in China retail deliveries

• Pressure from local EV leaders like BYD, Nio, and Xpeng

• Ongoing price wars squeezing margins

• Growing government incentives favoring domestic automakers

Tesla’s ability to maintain pricing discipline without losing market share is being tested.

At the same time, heavy reliance on exports from its Shanghai facility means global demand fluctuations could further impact production cycles.

What It Means for Investors

For investors watching Tesla (TSLA), September’s performance offers cautious optimism.

China accounts for roughly one-third of Tesla’s global deliveries — meaning any shift here directly affects its quarterly earnings outlook. The narrowing YoY decline signals potential stabilization, but the broader downtrend hints Tesla may need to reignite growth through new models or localized strategies.

The Bottom Line

Tesla’s 71,525 sales in China for September 2025 highlight both resilience and risk.

While the company remains a leader in EV innovation, its performance in China underscores the reality of intensifying competition and market saturation in the world’s largest EV market.

For long-term investors, Tesla’s position in China remains a critical barometer of its global strength. Continued stabilization — or another drop-off — in the coming months could heavily influence investor sentiment heading into 2026.