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China Auto Slump Deepens as EV Exports Hit Records on Fuel Price Shock

Rising fuel prices overseas are lifting EV demand, boosting Chinese shipments.

Overview

  • China’s car market, which the CPCA said Monday shrank 21.6% year on year in April to about 1.4 million sales, has now fallen for seven straight months.
  • CAAM reported April passenger‑car exports up nearly 85% to roughly 796,000 vehicles, with electric and plug‑in hybrid shipments jumping more than 120% to about 420,000.
  • New‑energy vehicles made up around 60.6% of April sales in China, yet volumes fell 6.8% after broad EV purchase subsidies and some tax breaks were scaled back, squeezing entry‑level buyers.
  • Global EV registrations rose 6% in April to about 1.6 million, BMI found, with Europe up 27% as policy support and higher petrol prices pushed more drivers toward electric models.
  • In the UK, SMMT data show a record 86,943 used electric cars sold in the first quarter, up 32%, as households looked to cut running costs with fuel prices climbing.