Year-End EV Deals: Who’s Giving the Biggest Cut?

ChinaEV Home interviewed 13 mainstream NEV makers, speaking with official customer service teams and retail staff to understand the scope of their tax-difference guarantees and promotional benefits.

As 2025 draws to a close, the year-end sales race for new energy vehicles is once again in full swing.

December has always been a critical month for NEV brands, often determining whether they can deliver an impressive set of annual results by year-end 2025.

This year, the stakes are higher: China’s 2026 NEV purchase-tax incentives will be cut in half, intensifying automakers’ urgency to secure as many orders as possible.

To spur purchases, many brands are offering “purchase-tax difference protection” for customers whose vehicles will be delivered after January 1—effectively covering the gap created by next year’s reduced subsidy.

“Selling more cars” has become the overriding priority for NEV manufacturers. As NIO Inc. CEO William Li told employees, sales and deliveries are the core drivers of incremental growth right now.

Even outside the traditional “Golden September and Silver October” peak season, brands continue extending “limited-time” offers into December, aiming to capture both new buyers and upgrade demand.

So what incentives and cash subsidies are being rolled out this month? And how are brands responding to the tax subsidy phase-out and cross-year deliveries?

ChinaEV Home interviewed 13 mainstream NEV makers, speaking with official customer service teams and retail staff to understand the scope of their tax-difference guarantees and promotional benefits. Here’s what we found.

Who Offers the Most Comprehensive “Protection”?

Starting January 1, 2026, NEV purchase tax will be levied at half the current rate—the exemption cap dropping from RMB 30,000 ($4,200) to RMB 15,000 ($2,100) per vehicle.

This has concentrated demand as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the policy change.

But buyers who place orders in 2025 but receive delivery in 2026 face a sudden reduction in tax savings.

To address this, most brands have introduced some form of tax-difference guarantee—though timing and model coverage vary.

Our interviews show that most mainstream automakers now provide a tax-difference guarantee, but eligibility windows and model lists differ from brand to brand.

Based on information from Li Auto, Xpeng, NIO, Xiaomi, and the Huawei-backed Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), these guarantees mainly target high-demand models with long wait times.

We present the findings in two sections below.

Selective Protection

Among the “Li Auto, NIO, Xpeng” trio, sales staff confirmed that Li Auto’s i6, NIO’s new ES8, and Xpeng’s X9 EREV are covered.

Both NIO and Xpeng staff said that customers who lock in their orders by December 31 and receive delivery in 2026 for reasons unrelated to the customer will receive up to RMB 15,000 ($2,100) in tax-difference protection on top of the standard RMB 15,000 ($2,100) exemption. “We’ll deduct it directly from the final payment,” they said.

Importantly, locking an order is not equivalent to invoicing or delivery—there is an inherent time gap.

Li Auto staff did not specify a cap for the i6, noting only that the model’s configurations cannot exceed RMB 300,000 ($42,000).

They added that all other Li Auto models are available from stock without delivery delays, so no tax guarantee is offered for them.

Xpeng provided similar feedback: only the X9 EREV faces longer waits, while other models are readily available.

Some guarantees have already ended. The Denza N8L previously offered up to RMB 15,000 ($2,100) in protection, but only until the end of November, with no extension announced.

Full-Line Protection

Some brands take a broader approach.

HIMA’s AITO, Stelato, Shangjie, and Luxeed all offer cross-year tax-difference protection for vehicles locked by December 31 and delivered in 2026, with official statements already published.

AITO, Stelato, and Luxeed offer up to RMB 15,000 ($2,100), while Shangjie offers up to RMB 9,000 ($1,260).

Zeekr has also confirmed a similar policy—lock an order before December 31 to receive up to RMB 15,000 ($2,100).

Xiaomi’s hotline was busy, but retail staff clarified that only customers who locked orders before December are eligible. December orders do not qualify, and all customers have been informed.

Like HIMA, Xiaomi’s coverage applies across the full model range. Store staff added that customers in a hurry can choose from in-stock “zero-mileage” vehicles.

Tax-difference protection is not mandatory, and not all brands offer it.

BYD’s Dynasty and Ocean networks said they have no such program, and Leapmotor staff said only that there “may be one.”

However, given these brands’ typically shorter delivery cycles—most models priced below RMB 150,000 ($21,000)—the impact may be minimal. Leapmotor’s large SUV D19 will not launch until 2026, so tax timing is less critical.

According to local media, Deepal and GAC Group have also introduced guarantees:

For customers who lock orders before December 31 but invoice by February 14, 2026 due to reasons beyond their control, the brands will cover the tax-difference up to RMB 15,000 ($2,100).

In many brands that still offer guarantees, December 31 is the cut-off for order locking, but detailed invoicing/delivery deadlines were not disclosed.

Additional Incentives

Overall, the tax-difference guarantees are transitional. They mainly serve customers already waiting for delivery.

They also help brands secure more backlog orders heading into Q1 2026 before the tax cut takes effect.

Thus, aside from tax protection, the real differentiator in December is how generous each brand’s cash discounts and purchase benefits are.

As we collected information on tax guarantees, we also documented each brand’s December incentives.

We present the findings in several parts.

Most Comprehensive Benefits

Among the new EV entrants, Li Auto, NIO, and Xpeng are particularly generous.

For example, Li Auto’s i6—one of its strongest sellers—comes with dual-chamber air suspension, soft-close doors, a refrigerator, and (for returning buyers) platinum audio if ordered between Dec. 1 and 31. A RMB 5,000 ($700) cash discount is also offered.

All of these appear clearly on the website, and customer service responses are consistent—showcasing high transparency.

Xpeng, in contrast, offers a number of incentives that are not immediately visible online.

With most tech features now standard across its lineup, incentives focus on warranties, electricity credits, and service packages.

For the P7+, customers placing deposits in December can choose one of three benefits, receive floor mats and a USB drive upon delivery, and choose one of four additional options including low- or zero-interest financing, option-credit funds, electricity credits, charging piles, or lifetime battery warranty.

NIO’s December benefits mostly continue its Guangzhou Auto Show offer—one year of free battery swapping (48 swaps), five years of free NOP+, and 50%-off selected options—though these are provided via sales consultants rather than shown directly on the website.

Leapmotor and BYD, whose vehicles have fewer optional packages, offer multiple limited-time free color/trim options, financing incentives, lifetime warranties (including the battery and electric drive), and free data packages.

These incentives span the entire ownership cycle and are relatively substantial.

Widest Coverage

HIMA’s brands—AITO, Luxeed, Stelato, and Shangjie—largely align purchase incentives across their lineups.

Across these brands, incentives typically include a RMB 20,000 ($2,800) ADS advanced driver assistance voucher, RMB 4,000 ($560) driving-assistance service package, 10,000 charging credits, free color or trim upgrades, and comfort kits.

Even the budget-oriented Shangjie H5 mirrors the ADS and core benefits of the higher-end models.

However, tailored incentives are available, such as a RMB 6,000 ($840) electric sunshade, RMB 588 ($82) carpet set, and a RMB 1,000 ($140) StarFlash digital key.

AITO store staff also mentioned a local subsidy of RMB 5,000 ($700), although availability is limited.

Strongest for Free Options

Some brands focus heavily on free optional features, led by Zeekr and Lynk & Co.

For Zeekr 7X, customers locking orders before Dec. 31 receive free rear electronic lounge seats, rear tech interaction packages, refrigerators, free 20-inch wheels, and complimentary interior/exterior color upgrades.

Zeekr also offers a “Super Plan” allowing customers to submit their own or a family member’s vehicle registration to receive RMB 10,000 ($1,400) off the final payment.

Lynk & Co staff were more direct: for the Lynk & Co 900, “the discount is RMB 20,000 ($2,800),” with immediate stock availability.

Charging systems and electric side steps are currently free. “It used to be free, then became paid in mid-year, and is now free again,” staff said.

Several brands also offer strong first-launch incentives. For example, Voyah’s Taishan provides a RMB 5,000 ($700) trade-in subsidy, a RMB 20,000 ($2,800) ADS voucher, and free gesture-controlled doors.

IM Motors’ LS9 offers a “launch incentive price” that reduces the MSRP by RMB 10,000 ($1,400)—a straightforward discount that may resonate more clearly with buyers.

In short, although labeled “limited time,” many brands have been extending incentives month after month, maintaining product appeal—and in some cases increasing benefits to drive volume.

The Final Sprint

In this final month of 2025, brands are deploying cash discounts, purchase perks, and tax guarantees with intensity rivaling the “Golden September and Silver October” peak.

Summarizing purchase-tax guarantees and incentives:

Tax-difference protection is entering its final phase, and some automakers have already withdrawn their guarantees.

Brands such as Xpeng (X9 EREV), NIO (new ES8), and Li Auto (i6) offer guarantees mainly for customers who have locked orders but not yet received delivery.

HIMA and Zeekr remain among the most generous—most models, apart from HIMA’s Maextro, are covered.

On the incentives side, “Li Auto, NIO, Xpeng” and HIMA provide the most comprehensive benefits, while Zeekr, Lynk & Co, and Voyah offer extensive free-option packages for new models.

These December incentives largely extend last month’s offers, with some brands adding extra perks to push sales volume.

With just over 20 days left before 2026, brands like Xiaomi and Leapmotor have effectively “submitted early,” but others aiming to hit full-year targets are expected to intensify discounts further.

Whether brands will hit or miss their delivery targets will become clear next month.