Currently, a variety of statistics regarding car sales in China are available. These include wholesale sales figures released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, authorized by the National Bureau of Statistics, car sales figures based on compulsory traffic insurance, and data released directly by enterprises. However, the most authoritative and comprehensive data, accurately reflecting the true state of the Chinese automobile market, comes from the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, specifically the number of car registrations.

All statistics have their limitations. For instance, military vehicles are not included in the Traffic Management Bureau's statistics, though their numbers are relatively small. Additionally, the Traffic Management Bureau's registration figures encompass both domestically produced and imported foreign brand cars.

According to the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, the total number of motor vehicles nationwide reached 453 million in 2024, with 353 million being cars. In the same year, 26.9 million new cars were registered, representing an increase of 2.34 million from 2023, or a 9.53% year-on-year growth.

Among the 26.9 million newly registered cars, the number of imported vehicles must be deducted. The Ministry of Public Security's statistics do not differentiate between domestically produced and imported cars. It is estimated that approximately 750,000 imported cars were registered in 2024, based on sales figures of 800,000 in 2023 and 700,000 in 2024.

Furthermore, the so-called parallel exports, which have gained popularity in recent years, also need to be considered. These are zero-mileage used cars that are licensed in China but exported abroad without being used. In 2024, approximately 200,000 such cars were exported.

After deducting 750,000 imported cars and 200,000 parallel exports, the number of domestically produced cars actually used in China in 2024 was approximately 25.95 million. This figure aligns closely with the 25.577 million domestic sales of domestically produced cars reported by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers for the same year. The main difference lies in the growth rate, with the Association reporting a 1.6% year-on-year increase, while the Ministry of Public Security's statistics show a 9.53% increase.

As of the end of 2024, the Ministry of Public Security's statistics reveal that the number of new energy vehicles nationwide reached 31.4 million, accounting for 8.90% of the total number of cars. Among these, pure electric vehicles numbered 22.09 million, comprising 70.34% of all new energy vehicles. In other words, the proportion of new energy vehicles among currently operating cars in China is less than 9%, with pure electric vehicles accounting for only 6.26%.

In 2024, 11.25 million new energy vehicles were newly registered, representing 41.83% of all newly registered cars. This figure marks an increase of 3.82 million from 2023, with a growth rate of 51.49%.

From 1.2 million newly registered new energy vehicles in 2019 to 11.25 million in 2024, the number has increased nearly ninefold in five years, indicating a significant trend of rapid growth.

Some analysts predict that domestic sales of new energy vehicles will continue to grow substantially in 2025, sharing the market with traditional fuel vehicles. By then, the proportion of new energy vehicles among the total number of cars may reach approximately 50%.

The "Development Plan for the New Energy Vehicle Industry (2021-2035)" issued by the General Office of the State Council sets a target of new energy vehicle sales accounting for about 20% of total new car sales by 2025 and pure electric vehicles becoming the mainstream of new car sales by 2035. In 2024, new energy vehicles accounted for over 40% of domestic new car sales, achieving the national target ahead of schedule. (End)