this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2026
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Tesla’s domestic sales in China collapsed 45% year-over-year in January, falling to just 18,485 units — the automaker’s lowest monthly retail figure in the country since November 2022. The data, released today by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), paints a grim picture of Tesla’s demand in the world’s largest EV market.

The figure represents an 80% plunge from December’s record-high 93,843 domestic deliveries. While seasonal declines between December and January are normal in China, a 45% year-over-year drop is not.

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[–] borQue@lemmy.zip 1 points 11 minutes ago

I always thought that driving around with 600 kG of battery extra weight was insane... But maybe that was because I studied physics.

[–] Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.org 15 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

It's not only Tesla. According to official data, China's auto sales fall at fastest pace in nearly two years in January

  • Domestic car sales in China drop 19.5% from the year before to 1.4 million vehicles, the biggest decline since February 2024
  • Electric cars and plug-in hybrids, which had previously been outpacing the overall market, fell 22.9 per cent in January
  • China's champion BYD’s sales were hit particularly hard in January, falling 30 per cent, higher than the industry average
  • Subsidised auto trade-ins exceeded 11.5 million vehicles in 2025, accounting for nearly half the total vehicle sales
[–] jacksilver@lemmy.world 2 points 46 minutes ago (1 children)

Any idea if this is within expected ranges or is there something breaking down. I know that there has been speculation that the way the industry was operating wasn't sustainable, but is this a natural/maintainable shift or something else?

[–] Novocirab@feddit.org 1 points 7 minutes ago

I recall the general observation that a lot of Chinese EV companies were being built up, quickly building production capacities that, taken together, greatly exceed demand, each company hoping to be among the few that eventually survive. So that what we're now seeing would be this show down

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 45 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Tbh I’m more surprised that their market share hasn’t dropped more, considering the much higher quality:price ratio that Chinese EVs have these days

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 21 points 6 hours ago (3 children)

Tesla out spends them on marketing. And Chinese consumers continue to be as big a bunch of suckers for the All American Status Symbol as everyone else in the world.

Still won't save them from other luxury EVs flooding the market. Or the repeated bad press they get when their shitty vehicles malfunction.

But you can carry a lot of water just by blasting people's eyeballs with marketing material.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 2 points 39 minutes ago (1 children)

I get European as a status symbol but thinking any American products as a show of wealth and class baffles me. Maybe I'm just old, but I associate American goods with ruggedness, cool, or cheap.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 29 minutes ago* (last edited 29 minutes ago)

I get European as a status symbol

All comes down to marketing. You think European products are a status symbol because LVMH spends enormous sums to convince you of their quality. American firms do the same thing in China.

I associate American goods with ruggedness, cool, or cheap.

Speaks to your media consumption habits. I've always associated American goods with hip hop and street art. But I'm also bombarded with images of kids in track suits and giant hair doing kick-flips while downing soda. Or bohemian-types rolling up to a drive through in a top-down convertible while belting out pop music.

But it's all just image. None of it is material.

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 7 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

“All American status symbol”. You mean a sign of trash built by prison labour.

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

We talking about the American or the Chinese cars here?

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 hours ago

American obviously.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Sure, but seeing a bunch of better and cheaper (for them) domestic models on the road means that the ads are rapidly decreasing in effectiveness.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago
[–] Etterra@discuss.online 4 points 5 hours ago
[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 5 points 6 hours ago (2 children)
[–] jaschen306@sh.itjust.works -1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (2 children)

What $37,000 heavily subsidized car gets you in China.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 0 points 4 hours ago

and bunch of stupid gadgets in a shit car. OK.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

First, there’s the pull-forward effect. December 2025 was Tesla’s best-ever retail month in China at 93,843 units, as buyers rushed to purchase before the reinstatement of a 5% purchase tax on NEVs starting January 1, 2026. That tax had been fully exempted for over a decade. Some of January’s weakness is borrowed December strength.

Second, China’s vehicle trade-in subsidies expired in most cities in mid-November and remain in a transitional phase, dampening demand broadly.

Third, the broader NEV market was weak. China’s total passenger NEV retail sales fell 20% year-over-year in January to 596,000 units, according to CPCA estimates. Even BYD saw its NEV sales drop 30% year-over-year and 50% month-over-month.

But here’s the thing: even BYD’s weak month produced 210,051 units. Tesla’s 18,485 is a different universe.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 5 points 6 hours ago

stonk go up?

[–] SoupBrick@pawb.social 4 points 6 hours ago

Makes sense, because this is what they are competing with: https://youtu.be/Mb6H7trzMfI

[–] Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago
[–] SuiXi3D@fedia.io 1 points 5 hours ago

And nothing of value was lost.