Electric Vehicles Are Charging Up China’s Automotive Markets Nationwide
China, one of the world’s leading car markets, is steadily moving towards electric vehicles (EV) and will continually do so, with the recent auto show in Shanghai being a prime example.
A recent study made by the China Passenger Car Association has found that, one in every five new cars sold in the country were either electric or hybrid vehicles.
In addition, the study also identified that on average, most of the EVs being sold were coming from the six biggest cities in China.
According to the secretary general of the car trade body Cui Dongshu, around 31% of cars sold in the country’s financial core run on alternative energy, up from 6% in 2016. Consequently, in some of the main cities, for instance Shanghai, the figure is even higher.
On that note, the study has also shown the statistics of EV penetration calculated from its accumulative car sales, in which for Beijing it stands at 16 percent, Guangzhou at 13 percent, Shenzhen at 25 percent, Hangzhou at 21 percent and Tianjin at 12 percent.
Alternatively, these numbers are much higher than the total EVs being sold nationwide, which is standing at a value of 8 percent.
Moreover, building further on the study, the consumers in developed cities on the Chinese east coast have already set their preferences on EVs.
This is mainly due to consumer-friendly policies by the local government which includes easy accessibility to license plates.
However, unlike their inland neighbours, consumers over there are not tilting towards the EV lifestyle as much.
As stated by Dongshu, this favourable policy may not run for the longest time, due to rising traffic jams and higher overall electric vehicle penetration.
An instance of this, Shanghai may start its restrictions on license plate issuance for some small EVs such as for the SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.’s, Hongguang Mini EV.
Equally important, the study also states that cars shorter than 4.6 meters and costs under 100,000 yuan (RM 64,048), will not be given any advantages such as the issuing of free plates.
Besides that, the secretary general also added that the overall sales of electric vehicles may not be impacted whether these new regulations come into play or not.
Overall, contributing to further this huge EV advancement in China is their tech giant Baidu, which recently have started its paid driverless taxi service in Beijing. In turn making the company the first to commercialise autonomous driving technology.
Gallery






Written By
Afiq Saha
Part of the CariCarz multi-faceted editorial team, Afiq is an English author packing four years of professional writing experience, be it creative or factual. (LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/Afiq-Saha-AS27)
JPJ Running Numbers
KUALA LUMPUR
VPS7830
SELANGOR
BSH8794
JOHOR
JYG9512
PULAU PINANG
PRU2041
PERAK
APB3099
PAHANG
CFD5180
KEDAH
KGC3435
NEGERI SEMBILAN
NEH1583
KOTA KINABALU
SJM6658
KUCHING
QAB1893M
Last updated 23 Sep, 2025
Fuel Price
Petrol
RON 95
RM 2.05
RON 97
RM 3.21
+0.03
RON 100
RM 5.00
VPR
RM 6.23
Diesel
EURO 5 B10
RM 2.93
+0.03
EURO 5 B7
RM 3.13
+0.03
Last updated 18 Sep, 2025
Latest News
Amir Hamzah: No Back-to-Back Pumping of RM1.99 RON95 A Day
Amir Hamzah: Govt. won't allow multiple subsidised refuels in a day as BUDI95 takes effect Sept 30.
23-09-2025
Petron Lubricants Gains SIRIM Certification & Label
Petron Malaysia acquires SIRIM genuine product licence certification and label for engine lubricant product line-up.
23-09-2025
Govt Will Allow Commercial RV Rentals from 2026 - Loke
Starting January 2026, RVs can be licensed for commercial use, making self-drive RV holidays safer and regulated.
23-09-2025
BUDI95: RON95 Ban on Foreign Cars Still On, RM1.99 for Malaysians
BUDI95 keeps foreign-registered cars out of subsidised RON95, only Malaysians with local vehicles can pump at RM1.99 per litre.
23-09-2025
Rapid Rail Set To Launch Real-Time Crowd Tracking & AI Security
Rapid Rail will introduce a live tracker showing coach crowd levels so commuters can board with less stress.
23-09-2025
Rafizi: Budi95 Quota Won’t Deliver Savings or Fairness; T20 Gains the Most
Rafizi Ramli says Budi95 quota will keep subsidies at RM10–15 billion a year, but wealthier households enjoy biggest share.
23-09-2025
Budi95: JPJ Extends Operating Hours; JPN to Issue Free MyKad Replacement
More than 16 million Malaysians stand to benefit from Budi95, but only with both their MyKad and valid driving licence.
22-09-2025
BHPetrol Lubricants Receive SIRIM Certification
BHPetrol garners SIRIM certification for its SyGard, Trans and Dash engine lubricants range.
22-09-2025
Show More
trending_flat