Tesla has emerged as a rare outlier in China’s slowing electric vehicle (EV) market, posting a massive sales surge in February even as domestic leaders like BYD grapple with double-digit declines.
The US carmaker’s Shanghai Gigafactory delivered nearly 58,600 vehicles to Chinese buyers last month, up 91 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to data from automotive platform Dongchedi.
Sales of Model Y stood at 41,404 units, while Model 3 accounted for 17,195 units. Starting at 263,500 yuan (US$38,340), the Model Y was the top-selling EV in February.
Geely Auto’s Xingyuan and Boyue L models ranked second and third, with volumes of 37,859 units and 23,303 units, respectively, according to Dongchedi’s data. Xiaomi’s YU7 moved into fourth place with 20,196 units, narrowly edging out BYD’s Seagull, which settled in fifth with 20,190 units.
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How does a Chinese driverless system compare with Tesla’s?
How does a Chinese driverless system compare with Tesla’s?
The February surge marks a significant reversal for Tesla’s Model Y, whose dominance was challenged in 2025 by sub-100,000 yuan competitors like Xingyuan and SAIC-GM’s Wuling Hongguang Mini EV.
The improvement in Tesla’s sales comes on the heels of aggressive financial manoeuvring after Chinese authorities urged an end to the brutal price wars that have plagued the sector.
