China Accounts for 68% of Global NEV Growth in Jan–Sept 2025

In Jan–Sept 2025, China’s NEV penetration rate reached 46%, far higher than Germany’s 27%, the U.K.’s 32%, the U.S.’s 13%, and Japan’s 2%.

China captured 68% of the world’s new energy vehicle (NEV) growth between January and September 2025, reaffirming its dominant role in the global transition to electrification, according to data released on November 3 by Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Global vehicle sales totaled 70.53 million units in the first nine months of the year, including 15.71 million NEVs, representing a penetration rate of 22.3%. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 14.8% of total car sales, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) made up 7.5%.

China remained the key driver of global NEV expansion. Of the 3.73 million-unit increase in worldwide NEV sales, China contributed 68%, far outpacing Germany (5%) and the United States (4%).

Global NEV penetration has continued to climb steadily, rising from 13% in 2022 to 16% in 2023 and 19.5% in 2024, reaching 24.5% by the third quarter of 2025.

However, regional disparities remain stark. China’s NEV penetration stood at 46.2%, compared with 32% in the U.K., 27% in Germany, 13% in the U.S., and only 2% in Japan. Norway maintained the world’s highest level at 80%.

From a segment perspective, China accounted for about 62.8% of global BEV sales and 75% of global PHEV sales in the first three quarters of 2025.

In contrast, Europe’s BEV share fell to 17.4%, while the U.S. held roughly 10%, underscoring the widening gap.

China’s rapid growth was supported by both policy incentives and strong supply-side capacity. Post-Spring Festival stimulus measures—such as vehicle trade-in and scrappage programs—helped accelerate NEV sales.

Domestic automakers including BYD, Geely, and Changan continued to perform strongly across both BEV and PHEV product lines.

At the corporate level, BYD retained its global lead with a 22.3% market share, followed by Tesla, whose share declined to 8.6% from 11.3% a year earlier. Geely, buoyed by its Galaxy and Zeekr brands, reached a 10.3% share.

In the BEV segment, BYD’s global share surged from 7% in 2021 to around 19%, while Tesla’s fell from 23% to 13%. Emerging Chinese players such as Leapmotor and Xpeng also gained momentum, climbing to 4.0% and 3.4% respectively.

Overall, the global NEV market continued its growth trajectory through the first three quarters of 2025. Cui noted that China has contributed roughly 80% of the global NEV sales increase for several consecutive years, making it the focal point of the industry’s competitive landscape.

As European policy tightening and slowing U.S. growth reshape global trends, China’s accelerating electrification is emerging as the key variable in the evolution of the global auto industry.