The Chinese market for New Energy Vehicles (NEV) reached a new record in June. Almost six out of ten newly sold vehicles had an alternative drive system. At the same time, auto exports exceeded the half-million mark for NEVs in a single month for the first time.In June, New Energy Vehicles in China reached a record share of 58.5 per cent of new car salesAccording to data from the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association (CAAM), 58.5% of all new car sales in June were battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and fuel cell vehicles. In China, these alternative drivetrains are generally grouped under the term New Energy Vehicles (NEVs). With this 58.5% share, NEVs reached a new record high in Chinese wholesale sales for the third consecutive month.As CNEVPost reports, a total of 1.643 million NEVs were sold in June. This represents a 23.6% increase compared to the same month last year and a 9.8% rise compared to May. Production reached 1.598 million vehicles, marking a 26% year-on-year increase. Focusing solely on BEV sales, these rose by 33% in June to 1.142 million units. Plug-in hybrids also saw growth, with 500,000 vehicles sold, an increase of 6.5%.Battery-electric vehicles continue to dominate China’s NEV market. In the first half of the year, China sold 7.45 million NEVs, a 7.3% increase compared to the same period last year. The NEV share of all new car sales from January to June stood at 49.6%, nearly on par with vehicles powered by conventional drivetrains.In contrast, the overall passenger car market showed more modest growth. A total of 2.81 million vehicles were sold in June. While this represents a 6.9% increase from the previous month, sales declined by 3.2% compared to June 2025. The decline is due to weak domestic demand, as the government is phasing out certain purchase incentives and subsidies. The market is now primarily supported by a booming export business: in June, vehicle exports surpassed the one-million mark for the first time, reaching 1.037 million units—a 75.1% year-on-year increase.Exports of NEVs saw particularly dynamic growth. With 523,000 units, China exceeded the half-million mark for NEV exports in a single month for the first time. This represents a 1.6-fold increase compared to the same month last year. Of these, 309,000 were battery-electric models, and 214,000 were plug-in hybrids. The latter grew by 90%, once again outpacing BEV export growth. In the half-year comparison, export growth is also significant: China exported a total of 5.1 million vehicles (+65.3%) from January to June, including 2.36 million NEVs. NEV exports more than doubled compared to the same period last year.The latest sales figures align with the Chinese government’s long-term electrification strategy. Earlier this week, Beijing published its new action plan as part of its 15th Five-Year Plan. Here, vehicles with alternative drivetrains are to account for around 30% of the total vehicle fleet by 2030. To achieve this goal, the current NEV fleet would need to more than double within the next five years. In parallel, the government plans to further expand charging, battery-swapping, and hydrogen infrastructure, as well as accelerating the electrification of commercial vehicle traffic. While direct purchase incentives are being phased out, China is increasingly focusing on long-term expansion targets for vehicle fleets, infrastructure, and industry.cnevpost.com