China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in July 2026 accounted for more than 60 percent of monthly new car sales for the first time, while the cumulative share for the first seven months also surpassed 50 percent, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on August 12.
In July alone, NEV output and sales reached 1.576 million and 1.561 million units respectively, up 26.8 percent and 23.7 percent year on year. Pure electric vehicle output and sales both exceeded 1 million units in July, rising over 30 percent from a year earlier.
For the first seven months of 2026, NEV output and sales reached 9.01 million and 9 million units respectively, both up nearly 10 percent year on year. The NEV share of total new vehicle sales reached 51.2 percent, crossing the 50 percent threshold for the first time on a cumulative basis.
Overall auto sales in July stood at 2.584 million units, edging down 0.3 percent year on year. CAAM Deputy Secretary-General Chen Shihua attributed the decline to seasonal factors, noting that July is traditionally a slow season, compounded by high temperatures, typhoons, and flooding in some regions.
Vehicle exports maintained strong momentum in July, topping 1.04 million units for the second consecutive month, up 81.3 percent year on year. NEV exports surged 1.5-fold to 553,000 units, making up over half of total vehicle exports for two straight months.
Source: Xinhua / CAAM, August 12, 2026
