Electric vehicle industry in China

The electric vehicle industry in China is the largest in the world, accounting for more than 70% of global production of electric vehicles (EVs) and 67% of global sales in 2024 and more than 2.62 million exports in 2025. In 2025, CAAM reported China had sold 16.49 million passenger electric vehicles, In 2024, 60% of EV sales were battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 40% were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). China also dominates the electric bus and light commercial vehicle market, reaching over 500,000 buses (95% of global stock) and recording new sales of 447,000 commercial EVs in 2023. In 2025, 51% of sales of vehicles in the automobile market in China were electric vehicles.

Plug-in electric vehicle (BEV and PHEV) sales were 47.9% of the overall automotive sales in China in 2024. This is a significant increase from 2020, when plug-in electric vehicles accounted for only 6.3% of total sales. The plug-in market in China was dominated by Chinese companies, with BYD Auto and SAIC Motor occupying the top two spots, and 5 out of the top 7 spots.

The electric battery industry is closely related to the EV industry as EV batteries constitute around 1/3 of the cost of EVs and around 80% of lithium-ion batteries in the world are used in EVs. The industry also has significant Chinese presence, with major players including world's largest CATL, BYD FinDreams, CALB, Gotion, SVOLT and EVE Energy.