1.67 Million Units! September Wholesale Sales of New Energy Passenger Vehicles Show Double-Digit Growth Year-on-Year and Month-on-Month
According to the CPCA (China Passenger Car Association), the estimated wholesale volume of new energy passenger vehicles from manufacturers nationwide reached 1.67 million units in September 2026. This represents a year-on-year increase of 12% and a month-on-month increase of 11%—marking double-digit growth on both fronts. This signals that the new energy sector has entered a recovery phase characterized by a strong bottoming-out process following an earlier adjustment period, with the sector's growth rate significantly outpacing that of the overall automotive market.
The article notes that the wholesale market for new energy passenger vehicles in September 2026 was characterized by "moderate overall volume growth alongside sharp structural divergence," with the external environment serving as a key variable influencing sales trends. While high fuel prices continued to suppress demand for internal combustion engine vehicles—creating a window for new energy vehicle (NEV) adoption—wholesale growth slowed due to several underlying factors: supply chain and trade uncertainties stemming from overseas geopolitical conflicts, and a high comparison base from the previous year caused by a rush to purchase ahead of the tightening of domestic "trade-in" subsidies. Additionally, the Mid-Autumn Festival falling on September 25 caused fluctuations in production and sales during the latter part of the month, resulting in unusually low retail sales figures for NEVs in September. The trend of unexpectedly high fuel prices abroad drove exceptionally strong NEV export performance, further intensifying the market divergence.
IT Home reports that, driven by the accelerated electrification transitions of leading automakers and the prevailing consumer environment, multiple mainstream manufacturers set new historical records for NEV wholesale volume in September, underscoring the success of domestic automakers' electrification efforts. The top five automakers for the month were BYD, Geely, Chery, Leapmotor, and Changan; all five industry leaders achieved robust year-on-year and month-on-month sales growth, stabilizing the sector's upward momentum.
SAIC Volkswagen and SAIC-GM saw their NEV wholesale volumes more than double year-on-year, while automakers such as Changan Mazda, Chery, Leapmotor, SAIC Passenger Vehicle, and GAC Aion recorded year-on-year growth rates exceeding 50%. These automakers span domestic, joint-venture, and emerging brands, demonstrating that the transition to electrification has evolved from a move by a "select few pioneers" into an "industry-wide consensus"; the pace of technological iteration and new product launches is accelerating, and market performance continues to improve.
Based on preliminary monthly data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), the estimated wholesale volume of new energy passenger vehicles by manufacturers nationwide in September 2026 is 1.67 million units, representing a year-on-year increase of 12% and a month-on-month increase of 11%.