Electric vehicles account for two thirds of Chinese car sales

New energy vehicles captured 67 percent of new car sales in China in September 2026, reaching a record two-thirds market share, Carbon Brief reported. The figures, based on data from the China Passenger Car Association, show that battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids reached this milestone despite selling fewer total units than in the previous year. [1]

The market share gain occurred because sales of traditional combustion engine cars fell sharply. According to Carbon Brief, the China Passenger Car Association attributed the decline in petrol vehicle sales to rising fuel prices caused by the start of the Hormuz crisis. [1]

As FTMQ Climate reported earlier, high fuel prices linked to energy supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz recently pushed the global market share of gasoline-powered cars below 50 percent for the first time. The Strait of Hormuz handles more than 20 percent of global oil trade. [7]

The adoption of plug-in electric vehicles worldwide continues to be influenced by market prices, consumer demand, government policy incentives, regulatory signals, and available charging infrastructure. [3]