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Daniel Ren

China’s electric vehicle (EV) adoption rate has hit an all-time high, as the Iran war drives motorists to shift away from petrol cars despite a sluggish automotive market.
A record 65.2 per cent of the 1.54 million cars sold in mainland China last month were either pure electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed.
The figure broke the previous record of 65.1 per cent set a month earlier.
“Consumers are convinced of EVs’ advantages now that range anxiety has been largely eased,” said Zhao Zhen, a sales director at Shanghai-based auto dealer Wan Zhuo Auto. “Higher penetration rates can be expected as more drivers shun petrol cars.”
The pivot to electric cars comes as overall vehicle sales in China slump amid an economic slowdown. Last month, petrol car sales plunged 40 per cent year on year, while EV deliveries fell by a more modest 10.1 per cent, according to CPCA data.
The Iran war appears to be accelerating the electrification shift, as rising fuel costs prompt more Chinese consumers to shun petrol vehicles.
Another factor has been the debut of hundreds of new EV models in recent months featuring advanced driver-assistance systems and other new technologies, which have helped convince millions of buyers to splash out on a new vehicle, according to car dealers.


Global oil prices remain far higher than pre-Iran war levels, with Brent crude hovering at around US$97 per barrel on Wednesday, 34 per cent above the price in late February, when the conflict erupted.
If oil prices remain at around US$90 a barrel, Chinese petrol car drivers will see their annual fuel costs rise by roughly 2,000 yuan (US$298) compared with pre-war levels, according to an estimate by UBS in March.
Meanwhile, China has pushed forward with a massive charging infrastructure buildout. The country had 5.1 million public EV charging stations as of the end of July, up 21.3 per cent from a year earlier, according to the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance. Household charging piles had reached nearly 18.6 million, up 48.8 per cent year on year.
The EV penetration rate has continued to rise even as Beijing rolls back purchase subsidies and tax incentives for electric cars.
Buyers of a 100,000 yuan electric car in mainland China now receive a subsidy of 12,000 yuan, down 40 per cent compared with last year. They are also now required to pay a 5 per cent vehicle purchase tax, whereas previously EV purchases were exempt.
Between January and August, Chinese carmakers delivered a total of 6.67 million EVs to domestic consumers, down 11.6 per cent from a year earlier, according to the CPCA.


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China’s electric vehicle adoption rate has hit yet another record high, as rising fuel prices accelerate the pivot away from petrol cars


China’s electric vehicle adoption rate has hit yet another record high, as rising fuel prices accelerate the pivot away from petrol cars.


Over 65% of cars sold in China are now EVs as Iran war drives electric shift

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}China’s electric vehicle adoption rate has hit yet another record high, as rising fuel prices accelerate the pivot away from petrol cars

China’s electric vehicle adoption rate has hit yet another record high, as rising fuel prices accelerate the pivot away from petrol cars